Politics & Government
UPDATE: Council Approves New Rules for Beach Fires
Ordinance limits fuel materials and gives beach staffers authority to extinguish fires.
The San Clemente City Council Tuesday tightened rules about fires and barbecues on city beaches.
The staff in January had initially recommended the banning of portable barbecues and fire rings because of the danger of hot sand and flying embers, but council members told staffers to consult with residents and come back with a less-restrictive ordinance.
The new ordinance requires all fuel materials in fire rings to be contained within the perimeter of the ring and rise no more than two feet above the ring’s lip. Painted or chemically treated wood is prohibited, and beach personnel have the discretion to order any fire be extinguished for any reason, including high winds or flying embers.
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The rules allow portable fire rings and barbecues, provided they are raised off the sand and users dump the hot coals in fire pits rather than burying them in the sand where they can continue to burn.
Also, the council is set to approve the building of two small fire rings on city beaches at a cost of $1,350 and later, two larger ones. The cost of the larger rings has yet to be determined. In addition, two new fixed barbecues at T-Street and two more at North Beach would be installed at a total cost of $4,900.
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