Yes, you can still have a bonfire at Ocean Beach in San Francisco.
But you cannot simply carry wood onto the sand, build a circle of rocks and light a fire wherever there is space.
The National Park Service has a fairly specific set of rules for recreational fires at Ocean Beach, including where they can happen, when they must be extinguished and what kind of wood can be burned.
| Question | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Are bonfires allowed? | Yes, during the permitted season |
| When is the fire season? | March 1 through Oct. 31 |
| Where can you have one? | In the 16 designated fire rings between Stairwells 15 and 20 |
| Can you reserve a ring? | No |
| What time must the fire be out? | 9:30 p.m. |
| Do groups under 50 need a permit? | Generally no, unless another activity or equipment requires one |
| Is alcohol allowed? | No |
| Can you burn pallets? | No |
| Can you cover the fire with sand? | No — extinguish it with water |
| When do Ocean Beach parking lots close? | 10 p.m. |
Those rules are current as of 2026. The National Park Service’s Ocean Beach visitor page, special-use guidance and current Superintendent’s Compendium are the controlling references to check if conditions change.
Where are the Ocean Beach fire pits?
The National Park Service provides 16 fire rings between Stairwells 15 and 20.
Fires are permitted only inside those designated rings. You cannot make your own fire ring elsewhere on the beach using rocks, driftwood or other material you find there.
The rings are first come, first served. They cannot be reserved.
That makes timing important on warm weekends. There is no booking system that guarantees your group a fire pit later in the evening.
When can you have a fire at Ocean Beach?
The current National Park Service rules allow recreational fires at Ocean Beach from March 1 through Oct. 31.
No beach fires are allowed from Nov. 1 through the end of February.
During the permitted season, fires are allowed from 6 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.
At 9:30 p.m., the fire needs to be extinguished. The rule is not simply that you stop adding wood at that time.
The Ocean Beach parking lots close at 10 p.m., according to NPS recreational-fire guidance.
Do you need a permit?
For most small gatherings, no.
Current NPS guidance says beach fires with fewer than 50 people do not require a permit, unless your group is bringing substantial equipment or conducting another activity that independently requires permitting. Groups of 50 or more need a permit.
This is worth spelling out because older National Park Service pages can still surface online with a 25-person threshold.
For example, an older NPS news release says groups of 25 or more needed permits. That is no longer the current threshold.
If you are planning a larger gathering, use the current NPS Special Park Use information rather than an older cached article.
You cannot reserve a fire ring
A permit for a large gathering does not turn the Ocean Beach rings into reservable private spaces.
NPS says the fire rings remain first come, first served and cannot be reserved.
If having a fire is central to your plans, arriving earlier is therefore more useful than assuming a permit guarantees a particular pit.
What kind of wood can you burn?
Bring your own untreated firewood.
The current Superintendent’s Compendium prohibits gathering, cutting or scavenging wood or kindling in the park.
It also prohibits chemically treated or painted wood and wood containing nails or staples. Debris burning is not allowed.
That means pallets are a poor choice even if someone offers them for free: they commonly contain nails, hardware or treated material.
Christmas trees and trash are not firewood either.
Spare the Air days can override your bonfire plan
Even during the March-through-October fire season, a recreational fire may not be allowed on a day when a Spare the Air declaration prohibits it.
The National Park Service says fires are not permitted on Spare the Air days.
If your bonfire matters to a larger group plan, checking current air-quality restrictions before hauling wood to Ocean Beach can save a frustrating trip.
Use water to put the fire out — not sand
This is one of the rules that is easy to get wrong.
Do not bury the fire in sand.
NPS says Ocean Beach fires must be extinguished with water only. Covering hot coals with sand can insulate them rather than extinguish them, leaving a burn hazard for people walking on the beach later.
Bring a bucket or another practical way to carry water. Before leaving, douse the fire completely and make sure the coals are out.
No alcohol or glass
Alcohol is not allowed on Ocean Beach, and neither are glass containers.
NPS also requires adult supervision for minors. Under the current fire rules, there must be one responsible adult aged 18 or older for every 10 minors.
And whatever comes onto the beach should leave with you. The rules require visitors to remove their refuse.
What should you actually bring?
A workable Ocean Beach bonfire kit is fairly simple: untreated firewood, a lighter or legal fire starter, something to sit on, warm layers, food in non-glass containers, and enough capacity to carry water to extinguish the fire.
San Francisco evenings at Ocean Beach can become cold quickly even when the afternoon was warm.
And if you are planning to stay until the 9:30 p.m. fire cutoff, remember the parking lots close at 10 p.m.
For restroom planning elsewhere in San Francisco, SF News Today also maintains a guide to free public bathrooms and late-night backups.
The Ocean Beach rules are stricter than an improvised beach fire, but the basic bargain is straightforward: use one of the provided pits, burn clean wood, leave the beach clean and make absolutely sure the fire is out before you go.