Blog: Battle Over Beachside Fire Rings

There’s a battle raging in Southern California over wood burning in beach fire rings. Newport Beach decided to remove their 60 fire rings for health reasons. Huntington Beach was recently caught napping; do they think that now that a regional agency is proposing to ban all beach burning that they can show up late, with a cute slogan, and win the day? I’m in favor of removing the fire rings and I recently spoke at the AQMD Public Hearing where I got to hear HB’s arguments for keeping the fire rings. Here I offer a little unsolicited advice.

So, Huntington Beach, you want to keep your fire rings?

You’re gonna need better arguments than you’ve made so far.

May I offer some strategic advice? You need it. Let me point out how you’ll need to frame your arguments:

First, you’re goin’ nowhere by attacking the AQMD. You look like kooks when you rant about loss of freedom, or FREEDOM, as you would put it. So, to win this contest you must treat the AQMD with respect. Their whole mission is to protect public health. To many this is a ‘motherhood’ issue; no one can make an effective case against public health. Don’t look like boobs; harmonize with their authority, not to mention their science.

Learn our counter-arguments: if you know what we’re gonna argue and anticipate your rebuttals, you’re bound to come off a lot better, not to mention, look good in front of the TV cameras.

For starters, drop these trite come-backs. Pathetic zingers don’t help to make your case:

• If you don’t like the smoke, sell your house.
• You knew they were there; the rings have been here for 60 years…
• Isn’t this like someone who moves near the airport then complains about the noise?

Likewise, lose the petty critiques. You need more sophisticated arguments; none of these references move the needle in your favor:

• Those Newport Beach people are a bunch of rich snobs.
• Class warfare, private beaches, ulterior motives
• Hints of racial xenophobia

Ok, as we wrap up this discussion of your nutty commentary, let’s get past:

• Your petition. Add up all the petitions and it’s still a small number.
  The opposition didn’t do a petition because we knew the numbers would be low. You’re waking up to realizing that it doesn’t carry the clout you thought it would. Petitions are about popularity; this decision will be based on scientific evidence. Forget this.
• Letters from your elected officials. Ditto.
  Their equally uninformed comments do nothing to address the District’s concerns about public health, nor move your chance of success much higher. Everyone knows the fire rings are popular; don’t rely so heavily on this argument. You’re challenging the AQMD's authority which, for many of these professionals, is how they see their life’s work.
• “Next they’re gonna ban my wood burning fireplace!”
  They already have. You can’t build a new house or remodel an old one and install a wood burning fireplace – indoors or out. Now you know.

Next up, Part II: Understanding Our Arguments.

Stay Tuned.

What do you think about the fire rings? Tell us in the comments.