Beach fires in Tofino have become too much of good thing in the popular tourist destination because of resulting smoke, noise and pollution, and the district council is mulling over whether to ban them entirely.
The numbers of beach fires on MacKenzie and Chesterman beaches swells during summer months as locals and tourists enjoy the fun of sitting around a fire during the day or into the evenings. Some reports say up to 80 to 100 fires can be found on MacKenzie Beach some summer nights.
City hall is receiving increasing numbers of complaints about air pollution and health impacts from smoke, masses of garbage — including clothing — left behind, problems with noise and alcohol, and charcoal left on the sand.
A notice of motion was written by Mayor Josie Osborne and Coun. Duncan McMaster to ban beach fires.
A majority of committee of the whole voted Sept. 28 to prohibit beach fires. McMaster and councillors Al Anderson, Britt Chalmers, and Andrea McQuade were in favour. Councillors Dan Law and Tom Stere were opposed. Osborne is taking a leave of absence because she is running in the provincial election.
The motion will go to council on Oct. 13. Any ban would apply only to public land. A date for when it might take effect has not been set.
In the meantime, council is looking for feedback from residents on the proposed year-round prohibition, and is also giving consideration to a seasonal ban, a municipal public notice states.
Tofino resident Ryan Orr has started a petition to fight a prohibition on fires at chng.it/n2NF8pSH5S. His goal is to reach 2,500 signatures.
Orr and his family, with a four-year-old girl and two-year-old boy, are around a beach fire about three times a month. They usually take a grill to cook hot dogs or burgers for dinner.
These fires represent “some of the best times I’ve had with my young family,” he said. “It’s just part of the Tofino lifestyle, we are at the beach all the time.”
Concerns about beach fires have been percolating for a number of years but came to a head this summer as tourists flocked to Tofino. “I think a big part of that was Tofino being understaffed in bylaw in order to deal with all those people,” Orr said.
He believes there are better ways to deal with the issues posed by fires, such as more bylaw enforcement with regular beach patrols. He also suggests setting up designated fire pits made out of rocks to contain the fires and keep charcoal in one place.
Fire Chief Brent Barker, Tofino’s manager of protective services, said the district is seeing an increase in levels of beach-fire-related frustrations.
If beach fires are prohibited, he expects more resources will be needed for enforcement. “So that any time somebody does light a fire they find out right away that it is not OK.”
The enforcement should ease off year after that as the message is better known in the community, he said.
With better messaging and signage and consistent resources, “we can get a handle on it. We can make a difference, for sure.”
cjwilson@timescolonist.com
