SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The fire rings at the City of San Diego’s beaches are safe for now after the San Diego City Council approved its budget that included money to keep the pits running for at least one more year.
However, questions swirl around how long this San Diego beach tradition can continue, so now private companies are looking to maintain the fire pits themselves.
The City of Coronado partnered with a company called BluLite Bonfires.
Here’s how it works: If you want to have a beach fire outside of the fire rings provided by Coronado, you can get a permit on the city’s website. It takes up to two weeks and costs about $500.
Then you reach out to a company called BluLite Bonfires to set up a date and time for a bonfire event for up to 100 people.
The company says packages start around $300.
That includes a propane fire pit and beach cleanup, with more options for bigger parties or extra services, like catering and projector screens.
The City of Coronado makes revenue on the permits, and the company only gets paid to set up and clean up the fire pits.
The company’s owner, Rene Contreras, hopes it can be an option for more places like the City of San Diego to help foot the bill of the fire rings.
“If the city wants to keep the fire rings, wonderful,” said Contreras. “But there’s an entire community of people that would prefer something clearer, something safer, with an educated and qualified team to be out here and do this.”
ABC 10News talked to people on the beach who say they’ve been enjoying beach fires for decades.
One man says paying for a fire pit could make a night on the beach more expensive, but it could be worth it for a large group like a family reunion.
“When relatives come into town and we go to the beach and have a fire, we usually have 30 or 40 people. So I think that would be feasible,” said Scott, who lives in San Diego. “It’s something we can plan, too. If you have to get a permit, it’s something where you’re guaranteed a spot.”
The new budget passed by the City of San Diego includes $135,000 in county funds to maintain its fire rings for at least another year.
