Through the smoke and torrent of this year’s budget, do you recall the conversation last year about removing the city’s fire rings?
You probably noticed that these rings didn’t enter the budget conversation this year. There wasn’t an uproar. Yet the rings didn’t disappear into thin air.
That’s because the city didn’t attempt to touch the beloved San Diego staple.
The fire rings were restored, for the most part.
Some areas saw the loss of only a couple rings, but there’s one spot where they no longer exist: South Mission Beach. That decision was made because numerous residents had complained about the amount of smoke, city spokesperson Caleb Olsen said.
From the 11 rings there, the city moved six to Fiesta Island and two to Bonita Cove.
As a whole, there are 16 fewer rings than the 185 available in 2025. And citizens want the city to pay for them. The mention of them disappearing residents who didn’t want to see them gone.
Even the California Coastal Commission chimed in on the city’s proposal to cut down on the rings at the time. By the way, the commission also urged the city to keep beach restrooms open, but we’re not going to go there.
Talks of removing the rings ended after Council President Joe LaCava and County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who both represent much of the coastal area where these rings are located, announced a grant to add financial fuel to the fire.
It was a one-time grant that saved the rings through July 1, 2026. Now, the rings are funded through the city’s general fund.
The past year wasn’t an anomaly in terms of funds for the rings coming from outside the city. When Jerry Sanders was mayor – he left office in 2012 – paying for the fire pits was the people’s problem for more than three years.
In 2008, the city actually began removing the pits until an anonymous donor dropped $260,000 to save them. When it came up again in 2010 and 2011, foundations, residents and community associations chipped in to help the city make up the difference. Kind of like what happened with Arts and Culture funding in this year’s budget.
It was announced in 2012 that the city would go back to fully funding the rings. It turns out, over a decade later, residents are still just as passionate about having the rings around.
So, in honor of National Beach Day on Sunday, Aug. 30, — and as a reminder to enjoy the seasonal fire rings before they are taken away after Labor Day — here’s where all of the city-maintained fire rings are:
Shoreline Parks (Beaches)
La Jolla Shores – 7 (Summer only)
Mission Beach (Belmont Park) – 5 (Summer only)
Ocean Beach – 7 (Summer only)
Mission Bay Park
West Mission Bay
Mission Point – 1
Bonita Cove – 7
Mariner’s Point – 7
Ventura Cove – 7
Dana Inn area
Sunset Park – 3
Dana Landing – 2
Vacation Isle
Vacation Isle-Southside – 11
Vacation Isle-Paradise Point – 15
Vacation Isle-North Cove – 4
Ski Beach – 1
Crown Point
Crown Point Shores – 16
East Mission Bay Drive Area
De Anza Cove – 5
De Anza Boat Launch – 2
Playa Pacifica – 11
Hilton-North – 2
Hilton-South – 3
Fiesta Island and South Shores
Fiesta Island – 41
South Shores – 2
There are also multiple fire rings at Shelter Island, maintained by the Port of San Diego.
