Despite facing heat throughout the years for having adverse environmental impacts, beachside fire pits in Orange County have remained a key summer centerpiece for many.
“[Bonfires] are so nostalgic: a childhood memory that I have always had,” says Adrianna Aguilar, 34, a mother from Chino Hills, as her three children, fueled by s’mores, tumble in the sand at Balboa Pier.
“It has become our favorite thing to do as a family.”
With parking so close to the fire pits, a playground nearby, and bathrooms easily accessible, Aguilar, who considers Balboa Pier an ideal spot for parents to take their young children to build a bonfire, says taking her kids outdoors is a necessity as an escape from the ensnares of the digital world
“As a mom I don’t give my kids any ipads or screentimes. Doing bonfires makes it so much fun for them.”
In 2013, a series of imposed restrictions upon beach activities and a failed push from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to ban bonfires briefly impeded beachside fire pit culture.
The potential ban sparked outrage amongst Orange County residents.
While the ban that attempted to shut down over 700 beach bonfire rings in Orange County failed, it succeeded in demonstrating fire pits are here to stay.
“During the summer times it’s nice to go out,“ says Christiana Licon, 34, from Riverside, as she tended to a fire at Balboa Pier.
“A lot of families would have been affected negatively by a ban.”
Approximately 30 miles down South, at Doheny State Beach, other consistent fire pit goers agreed with Licon’s sentiments.
“If they took all of them out, people would be upset,” says Paul Stanton, a lifelong resident of San Juan Capistrano, who attends the fire pits with his church group bi-monthly, “[Fire pits are] a gathering, people dig it…Hot dogs are so much better when you cook it yourself. It’s a whole family thing.”
In 2013, after a heated back-and-forth between state agencies, cities, and residents, many pits were successfully preserved.
Today, the rules differ by location: some limit the number of rings, or close them altogether on high-wind days. Some beaches allow wood fires, others require coal or clean-burning alternatives, many offer both.
While charcoal pits offer better conditions for cooking by creating lower flames and less smoke, many residents prefer wood only pits due to the pleasant smell.
“We arrived at 9:30 a.m.,” says Desiree Garcia, 41, a resident from San Bernardino whose family spent the day at Corona Del Mar State Beach to build their fire pit, “I was thinking we were going to be late but luckily we got to the last wood burning pit.”
During a typical summer day, crowds flock to Corona Del Mar State Beach, blanketing the sand with tents, towels, and chairs. Frisbees sail through the air as the savory smoke of hot dogs roasting over burning wood fills the air.
Music from each pit blends into a lively mix, reflecting the diverse cultures that gather.
As the sun tilts into the sea, sharp, blonde beams coat the faces of the communities that surround their respective bonfire.
In this golden slice of Orange County paradise, it’s hard to imagine any kind of conflict. However, in the heat of the blistering sun and limited fire pits,occasional friction between residents sometimes arises.
After securing the final wood-burning pit, setting up a tent with her family to claim the spot, and going down to water for a quick dip, Desiree Garcia faced a surprise when she returned to her site.
“We come back and there’s a gentleman and a lady sitting here with the fire on with all their stuff set up like cooking…[Even though] we got here early to reserve it, he just refused to leave,” Garcia continues, “The life guard came over here and said, ‘It’s public property. So technically anybody can use it.’and I was like, ‘Are you serious? I could walk up to any fire pit right now and just start cooking if I want?’ And she’s like, ‘Yeah, but you’ll have the same problem that he’s having.”
In Huntington Beach, residents can pay to reserve fire pits in advance, eliminating the need to arrive early to physically reserve their spot; at other beaches where reservations are not available, many honor the first-come-first-serve policy and respect when people reserve a spot by placing their things down.
“There was a fire pit that was empty the entire day, but it had a tent next to it. Nobody touched it because it’s common sense,” said Garcia. “I didn’t come here to cook with strangers, I came here to cook with my family.”
At Aliso Beach Park in Laguna Beach, where wood-burning fire pits were recently installed last year, a multi-generational family builds a fire on one of two fire pits at the beach.
“My daughter is going to be 27 and we used to come when she was 4 years old,” says Nelson Correa, a resident of Mission Viejo, “Over the years, there has been erosion. There used to be firepits all the way down [the beach] back in the day.”
While only two fire pits are active at the moment at Aliso Beach, the City of Laguna Beach seasonally offers six concrete fire pits.
“Ocean conditions and seasonal sand movement can lead to the temporary removal of some of those fire rings…These are for wood burning only, and char coal or other fuel types are not allowed,” says Jerald La Madrid, the Digital Communications Coordinator for Laguna Beach in an email to the Voice of OC, “[Alternatively], Heisler Park in north Laguna Beach also offers several fixed barbecue grills for charcoal use.”
Today, hundreds of firepits still remain throughout Orange County at locations that include Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington State Beach, and Doheny State Beach, Balboa Pier, Corona Del Mar State Beach, and Aliso Beach Park in Laguna Beach.
“I used to come out here a lot when I was a kid,” says Darren Pitchford, 41, from Tustin, California.
“Coming together with close and extended family, cooking up some food, eating some s’mores, really just enjoying the campfire feel down at the beach is something unique to Orange County. With the hustle and bustle of life…you can just escape.”
Josiah Mendoza is a Chapman University Scott Marshutz Fellow. Contact him at josimendoza@chapman.edu