San Diego fire pits will soon turn into ash. Last year when San Diego was facing a budget shortfall of $47 million, the city decided to cut funding to the fire pits program. An anonymous donator stepped up and donated enough to keep the fire pits running another year and a half. Now that the city is facing a staggering $179 million budget shortfall, the same fire pits set for destruction last year are once again on the chopping block, but it’s not like there was no effort to save them.

Photo by glen_patricio

Because of city union contracts, volunteers are forbidden to maintain the pits on their own, so each year the city spends $173,000 for two workers to clean the pits throughout the year. Since the last anonymous donator saved the fire pits, many attempts to raise funds have taken place, but with a struggling economy and other city services being cut the fire pits are likely to disappear permanently by December 15. This year only about $1,200 has been raised.

You may be asking, "didn't San Diego just pass Proposition C for Mission Bay Park funding?" The answer is yes (67%), but the funds go only for improvements, not maintenance.

“I’m afraid that the budget crisis will be a convenient excuse to get rid of a simple and seemingly inexpensive public amenity,” said Hans Baumgartner, who belongs to an organization called Save the San Diego Fire Pits.

This is not just a city problem. The state is going to delay the seasonal return of the fire pits at Silver Strand State Beach because of money problems. They’re normally removed at the end of summer and returned by Memorial Day. Next year, they won’t come back until the Fourth of July.

Silver Strand has about 10 pits. Come early if you hope to enjoy one. Really early.

It’s time to say goodbye to fire pits [SignOnSanDiego]