Will San Francisco Ocean Beach Bonfires Continue? Park Service Deciding On Future Of Tradition
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The future of bonfires at San Francisco's Ocean Beach will get a hearing Thursday evening at a public meeting hosted by the National Park Service.
Last year, the park service announced revisions to the rules on Ocean Beach fires, a longtime tradition that over the years has also brought problems to the area, such as litter, crime, drunken revelers and the burning of trash and toxic items.
The new rules pushed back the curfew for putting out fires to 9:00 p.m. from 10:00 p.m., banned alcohol or glass on the beach, and limited the fires only within the concrete rings provided. Other restrictions were placed on what could be burned and how many people could gather at individual bonfires.
The park service said it would review the data on how the new rules worked collected from park workers and provide an assessment on whether the bonfires could continue under the current system, or if at all.
Thursday's meeting aims to also get feedback from the public, local residents and other stakeholders on the fires to help in the decision-making process.
The meeting was set for 6:00 p.m. in the Terrace room of the Cliff House on Point Lobos Ave.
