New Parks crackdown on illegal Alki beach fires starts this weekend

(Remnants of an illegal fire, photographed at Alki in May by David Hutchinson)
Consider yourself warned. Seattle Parks plans to crack down on illegal fires at Alki starting this weekend. Spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad explains, “We have been getting some pretty consistent complaints of illegal beach fires at Alki Beach, and starting this weekend, we are doing a stepped-up enforcement with our Park Rangers. Rangers will be patrolling throughout the holiday weekend, but we’re not saying when. Illegal fires will have to be extinguished immediately. Violators will be cited and fined.” So how do you know if your fires are legal? For one, Hammerstad points out, “There are 6 fire rings between the Alki Bathhouse and 58th Street SW. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only clean firewood is allowed as fuel.” For complete details on what’s legal and what’s not, here’s the Parks webpage about beach fires at Alki. It’s been two years since a ban was briefly under consideration – proposed because of environmental concerns; the idea was doused fairly quickly, though it was acknowledged that enforcement efforts like this were needed.

19 Replies to "New Parks crackdown on illegal Alki beach fires starts this weekend"

  • rlv July 1, 2010 (3:18 pm)

    Thanks in advance, park rangers!

  • fj July 1, 2010 (3:40 pm)

    maybe they can ticket off leash dogs while they’re there.

  • barry July 1, 2010 (3:44 pm)

    about time, people have been leaving all kinds of garbage down on the beach and broken glass

  • Baba July 1, 2010 (5:18 pm)

    Ouch! I just wanted to burn my old couch there. Bummer, now I have to pay $30 to dump it. We are never going to get the consumer driven economic recovery this way. I wanted to spend this $30 on getting an ironing board from BB&B over this weekend. What is the government thinking?

  • Baba July 1, 2010 (8:03 pm)

    BP can pollute and destroy the whole Gulf, why can’t I just burn my stupid couch on the beach?
    Plus, I really need that ironing board… It’s on sale…

  • Frankie July 1, 2010 (8:58 pm)

    Alki is NOT Seattle’s dumping ground. For those who just come and visit please respect our neighborhood. It’s a gorgeous place that is littered and just plain abused during the summer by non-locals.

  • Mack July 1, 2010 (9:18 pm)

    To all you Seattleites who put your belongings out on the sidewalk with a “Free” sign stuck on it – people aren’t roaming your neighborhood looking for garage sale rejects. If you think it’s garbage, then it is garbage. Haul it.

  • Eaglewatch July 1, 2010 (9:40 pm)

    For those of us who live downwind of these beach fires, better enforcement is a step in the right direction, but I can tell you it’s still no fun breathing “clean” smoke during a hot summer night when the windows are open. I know most folks won’t agree with me, but if the parks deptartment were as concerned about healthy air as they should be, fires would be banned altogether. And for those of you who tell me to “close the windows”, that’s what I have to do.

  • Baba July 1, 2010 (10:43 pm)

    Hey, I had that couch outside with the “FREE” sign for weeks now, this darn rainy summer just destroyed its value completely.It’s not my fault! Why do I have to spend $30 to dump it when I can just burn it on Alki? BP can burn their stuff in the Gulf all day long!

  • sun*e July 1, 2010 (11:21 pm)

    @Baba – Really?!! You seriously think it’s okay for anyone and everyone to take their unwanted crappy furniture down to Alki to burn? You’ve got to be kidding… right?!

  • jennifer July 2, 2010 (7:30 am)

    Please! enough with getting hot about dogs on Alki! do you really have nothing better to be upset about? the loccal folks with dogs help ‘police’ the beach for those who camp/passout and the dog walkers are frequently seen picking up all the trash from the night before. Dogs are not littering, setting off fireworks, being drunk and loud or shooting guns. Yes to dogs on alki and letting them take a dip in the water and thank you rangers for helping keep the beach safe from non locals.

  • West Seattle July 2, 2010 (7:47 am)

    Just ticket gang bangers.

  • austin July 2, 2010 (12:29 pm)

    If you want to be able to run your dog on the beach and decide who can and can’t visit it, you should try buying a beach.

  • West Seattle July 2, 2010 (1:19 pm)

    Exactly Austin, always defend the scum bags over regular, tax paying citizens who contribute to society rather than trash and terrorize it.

  • AnotherIdiotInWS July 2, 2010 (2:52 pm)

    People who terrorize and trash “your” society also pay taxes, West Seattle. Contrary to what you believe, they do contribute in their own way. Speaking of contributing, I will be there this weekend with my German Shephard, who doesn’t care much for people he doesn’t know. Hope you get to watch him ‘trash’ your beach a little.

  • Baba July 2, 2010 (4:07 pm)

    @AnotherIdiotInWS, for a person who can’t read a “No dogs on beach allowed” signs, you sure can write and spell well…

  • AnotherIdiotInWS July 2, 2010 (10:52 pm)

    I meant that in jest, Baba. It was to the person “West Seattle” who left the comment, not the place! I should have been more clear.
    .
    I would not *really* bring my dog to poop on the beach. I just get a little tired of narrow-minded people leaving narrow-minded comments as though “they” are the only ones that pay taxes. Everyone has a right to those beaches… well, everyone but the dogs. :-)

  • Frankie July 3, 2010 (9:54 pm)

    Yes everyone is allowed to the beaches. I would hope everyone would enjoy them to the fullest. That’s hard when you have people who completely disrespect the area. I have three dogs but they are not on the beach. To the Parks Department: Please clean the sand at the beach. My daughter walked there and her feet where BLACK with dirt.

  • patricia davis July 4, 2010 (2:05 pm)

    Most people don’t know that wood smoke is 12 TIMES (not double: twelve TIMES) more toxic than a cigarette. See American Lung Association website (keyword: wood smoke) Extremely dangerous to breathe and totally NOT “green” or environmentally friendly. Live trees give off oxygen, dead trees give of dozens of known carcinogenics. Incidentally: wood smoke (a Volatile Organic Compound) is so small molecularly that is actually goes INSIDE a house with all the doors and windows closed. It also (due to small size) goes into the deeper/lower parts of the lungs. It is truly filthy. would like to see all wood burning in fireplaces and outdoor completely stopped. What is the reason for polluting other people’s air and harming their health. We know cigarettes kill (even 2nd hand smoke: 12 TIMES more toxic: think of it. Pass this information on. Perhaps we can get it stopped and actually breathe clean air – especially at a park or waterfront…..and inside our very own homes. How about clean air?

Sorry, comment time is over.