Late-night fires on San Francisco’s chilly Ocean Beach are a longtime tradition — but one that’s plagued with problems.

In an effort to rein in drunken revelry, unattended blazes, littering and a number of unscrupulous activities beside the fire pits, National Park Service officials who oversee the shoreline are looking to put a 9 p.m. curfew on beach fires. The current cutoff time is 10 p.m.

The move is part of a broader plan to protect the shoreline of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Park officials are planning to reach out to visitors — through social media, improved signage and one-on-one contacts — to let people know that their fires are creating problems. They’ll also install safer fire pits and provide more supervision.

“We’ll see if these changes will make it a safe program,” said Alexandra Picavet, spokeswoman for the recreation area.

It’s not the first time that park officials have tried to address beach fires.

After complaints by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors — which cited concerns about trash and the burning of toxic materials — park officials enacted regulations in 2007, at least on paper.

Picavet acknowledged that the effort didn’t work out. She said a lack of staffing and not enough follow-up are to blame.

This time, however, Picavet said things will be different. If they’re not, she added, one alternative is banning all fires, an option that neither the park service nor the public would want.

The new fire plan is scheduled to begin Memorial Day weekend. The National Park Service is taking public comment on the proposal through May 16.