Natural Perspectives -- Vic Leipzig and Lou Murray

Last week, Mike Tope, superintendent of the Orange Coast District of

the state park system, suggested banning beach bonfires due to concerns

over air pollution and budget restraints. Predictably, an inflamed public

rose up in howling protest. The parks department responded appropriately

-- the fire pits can stay.

When we talked with him, Tope said that he really didn’t want to see

the fire rings go. He had merely proposed that as one possibility for

saving money. Most of his budget goes to seasonal summer staff and part

of their time is spent cleaning the fire pits. If the rings were

eliminated, he could save some money. But the idea was too unpopular.

Tope said not one person called him to say that eliminating the fire

rings was a good idea. Instead, there was an overwhelming public outcry

to keep them.

Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to the fires. Most beach bonfires

are built by young folks, some of whom are not the most sensible segment

of our population. They pour all kinds of petroleum products on the fires

to get them started and they burn a lot more than firewood in the pits.

Tope said that he’s seen some strange things thrown into the fire pits,

including spray cans and even a magnesium engine block. We’ve seen

painted wood, loading pallets, plastics, and even furniture tossed onto

some of those monstrous infernos. The nails left behind are hazardous,

especially to small children who don’t know to stay out of the fire

rings.

But one of the biggest problems of the fire rings is air pollution.

The air along Pacific Coast Highway on a summer night can be chokingly

thick with smoke. Some people build bonfires so big they could be seen

from space by satellites. Sailors could navigate all the way from

Catalina by the light of those fires. There’s no need for fires to be

that big.

We were curious about the hazards of wood smoke, so we did some

research. We were surprised to learn that more than 100 chemicals and

compounds are produced from burning wood. Many of these chemicals are

known respiratory irritants and cancer-causing agents. According to

estimates from the EPA, the cancer risk from wood smoke is twelve times

higher than the cancer risk from an equal amount of tobacco smoke.

These carcinogens attach to the carbon particles in smoke. Particles

carry the carcinogens into the air and we breathe them in. According to

the California Air Resources Board, one of the most dangerous components

of air pollution is fine particulate matter called PM10. These particles

are finer than grains of talcum powder, less than 10 microns in diameter.

Most particles from wood smoke are even smaller -- less than one

micron. These particles can stay airborne for up to three weeks and can

travel for up to 700 miles. The smaller particles are even more dangerous

than the PM10 particles because they can be breathed deeply into the

lungs where they stay and cause damage. The California Air Resources

Board claims that these particles can increase the number and severity of

asthma attacks, cause bronchitis and other lung diseases, and increase

the risk of infections by reducing the body’s ability to fight disease,

especially in children and the elderly. Studies have linked exposure to

these particulates with premature death, particularly in those already

affected by heart or lung disease.

There is definitely a link between asthma and fine particulates in the

air. When the PM10 count goes up, emergency room visits for asthma

increase. According to the American Lung Association of California,

asthma cases and deaths from asthma are on the rise in the state. Asthma

is the leading cause of school absenteeism. An estimated 2.2 million

Californians have experienced at least one asthma attack, those coughing,

wheezing, can’t-catch-your-breath episodes that occur when the body’s

airways squeeze shut.

As we conducted the background research for this column, we learned

that wood smoke is more dangerous than we would have guessed. However, we

couldn’t find any information about how much pollution beach bonfires

contribute to overall air quality in our area. We’re betting it’s less

than that produced by diesel trucks, buses, and home fireplaces.

Environmental regulation should be based on good science. Without some

solid studies that show the contribution made by beach bonfires to our

local air quality, and without education of people about the hazards of

wood smoke, eliminating beach fires in the name of clean air doesn’t make

sense. At least not yet.

So here’s our take on the beach bonfire situation. Remember that your

smoke affects the health of all those who live downwind and have to

breathe that smoke all summer long. Build smaller fires. Use only

appropriate firewood without paint or nails. Don’t throw hazardous

materials into the fire rings. Be sensible when enjoying a fire at the

beach so we can preserve our right to have a nice fire on a moonlit

summer evening. If people don’t burn responsibly, they need to be

prepared for the day when they might no longer be able to enjoy beach

fires.

* VIC LEIPZIG PhD and LOU MURRAY PhD are Huntington Beach residents

and environmentalists. They can be reached at o7 [email protected] .