SeeCalifornia.com

When the Orange County AQMD (air quality management district) threatened to curb beach bonfire traditions by prohibiting wood-burning fires that serve millions of tourists annually at Southern California beaches, local governments and citizens were steaming. They said that the bonfire is an important cultural experience that must remain intact. Fire as entertainment in California includes beach bonfires, state parks campfires, and even fire entertainers and dancers such as those appearing at the Butterfly Festival in Mariposa this weekend or the Persian “jump over the fire” celebration in Berkeley each spring. At Humboldt State U. in Arcata today the Student Association for Fire Ecology (SAFE) rounds out an April lecture series with Clint McKay’s presentation, “Fire: Essential to California Indian Life”. While that event is as sit-down, academic look at fire, if you head to Columbia State Historic Park you can catch the Fireman’s Muster on May 2, 2015. It’s a lively re-enactment of putting out fires using antique trucks and equipment. And for someone like me who finds therapy in barbecuing outdoors on a grill you get to know the characteristics of fire real fast. The flame, the heat and the meat all work together to create a desirable cooking situation.  Here’s a little fire science.