Ocean Beach reopens to bonfires with new concrete pits

The National Park Service opened Ocean Beach to bonfires on March 1 after adding new fire rings and regulations. The National Park Service opened Ocean Beach to bonfires on March 1 after adding new fire rings and regulations. Photo: Golden Gate National Recreation Area Flickr Photo: Golden Gate National Recreation Area Flickr Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Ocean Beach reopens to bonfires with new concrete pits 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Bonfire season has returned to San Francisco with a new look.

The National Park Service reopened Ocean Beach to group fires this week after rolling out 16 new fire pits. The NPS halted beach bonfires in November for the first time as part of a winter "Spare the Air" campaign.

The new fire pits, located between stairwells 15 and 20, are 800-pound concrete blocks that feature the new beach rules in large red lettering. Groups 25 or larger require permits, but for smaller groups, the new fire pits are both free and first-come-first-serve.

All fires are required to be extinguished (using water only) by 9:30 p.m., 30 minutes later than last year's curfew. A bonfire after curfew could result in a penalty of up to $5,000 and six months in jail, according to the NPS.

The Ocean Beach Fire Program, which went into effect in April of last year, was developed following public comment on a proposal that would have required permits for all beach. After 508 comments were submitted, the NPS made changes to the plan that included dropping the permit requirement for small groups, extending the curfew to 9:30 p.m. and expanding the number of fire rings from 12 to 16.