UPDATE: Annual Christmas-tree bonfire on Alki

9:11 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent photos from a briefly sizable Seattle Fire response at 58th and Alki. Turns out tonight’s the night of the annual unofficial Christmas tree bonfire:

Though the SFD response was quickly downsized, radio communication indicates the remaining SFD personnel on the scene are now asking for SPD help with “crowd control.”

9:52 PM: The SFD log shows the call now closed. Meantime, David Hutchinson sent this photo:’

16 Replies to "UPDATE: Annual Christmas-tree bonfire on Alki"

  • Mike January 11, 2020 (9:26 pm)

    Puhleeze, a bonfire on a rainy night.  If it was a dry summer night, this would be a hazard.  But tonight???

    • Hannah G. January 11, 2020 (10:51 pm)

      Most Christmas trees are very sap heavy and can burn explosively, creating a hazard to the people nearby, even on a rainy night. And who cleans up the huge message left behind in the morning?  Let me give you a hint… it’s not the people burning trees on the beach. And what about the people that live down-wind of this?  Wood smoke isn’t harmless. In fact, it’s full of toxic pollutants, including benzene, formaldehyde, ultra fines and hydrocarbons. Everyone needs to stop pretending that wood smoke is harmless. 

      • Alki resident January 11, 2020 (11:17 pm)

        Good lord. We lived on the beach for many years and we survived the annual tree burning and had FUN. There’s also plenty of wood being burned during the Christmas Ships too. 

      • Guy Olson January 12, 2020 (9:04 am)

        Hannah, the wind carried the smoke directly off shore, I’m heading over to make sure there is no mess. It was great to see so many locals out enjoying the fire even on rainy night. Sorry you missed it. 

      • Lee Kelly January 12, 2020 (2:05 pm)

        Actually, the entire area WAS cleaned to perfection the same night, by the participants…. and no, trees don’t explode 😂

  • Alki resident January 11, 2020 (9:30 pm)

    I heard fireworks shortly before the police response. Was it from this event?

    • Guy Olson January 12, 2020 (8:55 am)

      The fireworks were lit by a person at the start of the fire. He was a 49ers fan celebrating their win. I asked him to not light any more, as it scares the animals in the neighborhood, he obliged and I congratulated him on their current win. 

  • OldMama January 11, 2020 (9:57 pm)

    Ah -if I’d only known ahead of time. 2 shorter trees- would’ve been perfect!next year 

  • Nicole January 12, 2020 (10:45 am)

    This is why our tree disappeared from our driveway yesterday! (Saturday-Not our yard waste day!) I would have preferred our tree to be made into compost vs smoke!!!

    • Guy Olson January 12, 2020 (11:48 am)

      How would have your tree been made into compost? Sanitation worker drives to work, drives the garbage truck to pick up your tree. Diesel tractor transfers your tree into another vehicle which drops it off at a composting facility. Some time later another diesel tractor transfers your tree into another vehicle which drops it off to be packaged. Customer then drives to a store and buys packaged compost? K

  • Kiran January 12, 2020 (12:23 pm)

    A wise women once said, “Negative comments rise through the public psyche like toxic smoke, infecting, polluting and destroying the hope of new possibilities.”

  • Elle Nell January 12, 2020 (1:22 pm)

    Thanks for keeping up the tradition in the ever changing, Westside..! 🎄🔥🙌

  • Brandon January 12, 2020 (1:55 pm)

    That damn Guy guy!!!

  • s. m. cook January 12, 2020 (6:04 pm)

    humans set things on fire, gather around, eventually looking for more to burn. telling, this harmless idle tradition.

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