In 2007, the National Park Service almost banned fires on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, due to consistent problems with trash and debris.

The Burning Man community joined others in opposing the ban, and in part in response to a Jack Rabbit Speaks plea more than 3,000 letters poured in to the Park Service, who agreed to give it one more chance--only this time with designated fire pits.

What? A chance to build permanent, public fire art in San Francisco? As you can imagine, we had to be part of that solution, and that's how Burners Without Borders has come to be collaborating with the National Park Service and the Surfrider Foundation to  design and build artistic fire pits for Ocean Beach. 

The call was put out to the community for fire pit designs. Over thirty five were submitted, and six were chosen to take to the Parks Project Review Committee. Most of the designs were approved immediately, and the artists have now completed 8 artistic fire pits at Ocean Beach. 

Fire pit artists, Charlie Gadekan and Rebecca Anders,  christen the Starfish, it's first day at Ocean Beach.

Although the Park Service could only offer $3,000 for the project, BWB was able to raise almost $40,000 for the eight artistic fire pits. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to build more. With the help of volunteers, these pits only cost $5,000 to make an you can help.

What you can do: check out these photos below. Then go to our Donate Page and make a contribution. You can contribute directly to BWB via PayPal

If you'd like a tax deduction ( and hey, who doesn't now and then?) make it out to 'Black Rock Arts Foundation' and send it to Burners Without Borders, c/o Black Rock Arts Foundation, 1900 3rd Street, SF, CA 94158.

 

Check out these news stories about the installations, including this one from SFSU, and this one from ABC Channel 7. 

Great story in the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

Check out this fantastic story on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle!