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 vicleipzig@aol.comf7 .
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