Park Service Looks at Regulating Bonfires at Ocean Beach

By Carol Dimmick

Plagued by maintenance problems and concerns about the public's safety, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is considering a broad spectrum of options for controlling bonfires at Ocean Beach that could mean anything from a campaign to educate the public to an outright ban.

At a March 18 public meeting held at Fort Mason, Jonathan Gervais, a planner for the GGNRA, described a hazardous situation from bonfires at Ocean Beach.

According to Gervais, hot embers, nails, broken glass and needles are creating safety and sanitation problems for beach users. He said the pollution from chemicals released when creosote-treated wood is burned is also impacting the neighborhood.

"It's not just the park service that is seeing these issues, it's the neighbors. It's a maintenance nightmare," he said.

The GGNRA currently allows beach fires on Ocean Beach from stairwell 14 (near Fulton Street) south to Sloat Boulevard. Park rules require all fires to be less than three feet in diameter and prohibit the burning of creosote-treated wood, pallets, furniture and garbage. Permits are not required unless the group is larger than 25 people.

Eben Schwartz, outreach coordinator for the California Coastal Commission, which is involved in beach cleanups, urged the GGNRA to provide more trash cans and to enforce the law against illegal bonfires.

"After 19 years of cleanup we are still seeing the same things. Thousand of nails are pulled out of bonfire pits each year. It's disheartening that one day after the beach is cleaned Ocean Beach is just as bad as it was the day before," Schwartz said.

Officials admit the situation has gotten out of hand and say they are committed to making the beach safe and protecting the neighborhood. The GGNRA is considering a number of alternatives and wants the public to write, telephone and e-mail their preferences.

Gervais said new regulations the park service is considering will include one or more of the following: á A campaign to educate the public about existing rules and problems; á A permit system; á Restrictions that could mean confining fires to an area between stairwell 14 (near Fulton Street) and stairwell 28 (near Lincoln Way); á A ban on all beach fires.

About 50 neighbors and frequent beach users attended the meeting and most agreed that something needs to be done about the problem, with the majority urging the park service to begin with a campaign to educate the public.

Sean Gibson, chairman of the San Francisco chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, said illegal bonfires have resulted in pollution and hazards for beach users.

"Our chapter holds beach clean-ups at Ocean Beach two times a month," Gibson said. He said the local chapter would support a flexible permitting system and a campaign to educate the public.

Luis Pinillos, a self-described surfer at Ocean Beach since 1967, agreed that illegal bonfires are a health hazard. He suggested that people buy table heaters instead of building fires.

Others, like Susan Levin, who view bonfires as part of their religious tradition - they consider bonfires as part of their First Amendment rights and vow to oppose an outright ban or any options that would impose restrictions.

One decision has been made already, according to Gervais. "No change is not an option," he said.