ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
One of the fire pits at Phillips Beach that will have to be removed.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — If beach barbecues are green-lighted by the Conservation Commission, they won’t be limited to fire pits.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) regulations say the structures are banned on the beach, according to Swampscott Fire Chief Kevin Breen.
The pits had already been installed at Phillips Beach and will be removed, said Gino Cresta, Department of Public Works director.
Instead, the fires would be open, dug into the sand, with a maximum of four at a time at Phillips Beach and two at Fisherman’s Beach. Updated regulations, approved by the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday, say that the fires must be located 50 feet from beach grass, vegetation, fences or buildings, 100 feet from any lifeguard stand or another designated area determined by the fire department.
“I think proceeding with fires just dug into the sand at any location brings up new challenges that have to be met by all parties,” Breen said.
The fires were approved by the board last month, but the town has been asked to seek approval from the commission at its July 14 meeting.
The panel could seek further action from the town on the fires, which could cause further delay, according to Naomi Dreeben, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen.
“For all intensive purposes, there would be no fires allowed on the beach this summer,” she said.
The cooking fires are a loophole in the MassDEP regulations, which limit burning from Jan. 15 to May 1. Outdoor cooking is allowed year-round and is not subject to open burning limits, according to state law.
Residents who want to enjoy a cooking fire will need a permit from the fire department. Previously, only a $50 deposit was required. Once permission is granted, a placard will be given to mark their fire. If they leave a clean area after their event, the deposit will be returned. With the new rules, a $20 non-refundable fee will be required in addition to the deposit to account for less containment of the fires and a higher possibility that the DPW will need to have an active clean-up of the area, Breen said.
The fire must be attended to at all times by an adult who lives in town. Only six permits can be issued per day, matching the number of open fires allowed.
New rules also dictate that the fires cannot be covered with sand, but must be extinguished by water. Only clean wood will be allowed.
Breen said proper thought and personal responsibility should be taken by residents who want to obtain permits for the fires. If people take personal responsibility to take as much debris and fire residue off the beach after extinguishment, than the program will be a success. If they leave the beaches a mess by leaving behind large, unburned pieces of charcoal, then it will not be a success.
He suggested having the fires halfway between the half and low tide mark, which gives people three hours before the tide reaches the fire to wash away the residue. But if that fire is put too close, the water could catch the fire before it’s extinguished, which would result in pieces of wood floating in the ocean and would be “upsetting to some people.”
“We have to balance the cleanliness of the beach with the desire of the community to have fires,” Breen said.
He also anticipates significant resistance to the potential fires. Residents have voiced concerns over the health-related issues the fires could cause and some felt the blazes could not be properly regulated. Breen said people have been having illegal fires, with most of those occurring on Phillips Beach. Cooking fires have not been permitted on the beaches for two years, and he suspects people are restarting the blazes after being told to stop from the fire and police departments.
Selectman Peter Spellios said that the board was unprepared to deal with the issue of beach fires. He said there shouldn’t be so much discussion around one topic.
“We can’t be doing this again,” Spellios said. “It’s really disappointing.”
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.
