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Walton County staff propose switching beach bonfires to propane fire pits
Summary
Code compliance staff proposed replacing wood beach bonfires with tested propane fire pits to reduce smoke and debris, and outlined safety standards including UL/CSA listing, 20-pound tank limit, minimum hose length and required extinguisher. Vendors and residents raised safety, cost and transition concerns.
Walton County code compliance staff on Wednesday proposed changing the beach activities ordinance to allow only tested propane fire pits for beach bonfires, citing complaints about smoke and debris from wood fires.
The county’s deputy director of code compliance, Tony Corman, and South Walton Fire District representative Sammy Sanchez said the proposed language would require fire pits to be UL-listed or Canadian Standards Association (CSA) listed, use a standard 20-pound propane bottle, sit at least 4 inches off the sand and be no larger than 3 feet in diameter. The draft would also require a tagged 5-pound ABC fire extinguisher on site and prohibit fire rings or pits without bottoms. Tiki torches would remain an exception; cooking attachments would be banned on the propane fire pits.
“Following requirements shall be strictly adhered to for approval slash use for all propane fire pits on the beach,” Sanchez told the workshop and read the draft safety standards in full. Corman said the switch is intended to produce a “cleaner burn” and reduce the amount of debris left on the beach.
Why it matters: County staff said debris from wood bonfires created recurring complaints and washup problems. The change would affect vendors, private homeowners and visitors who currently use wood fires on county-maintained beaches.
Vendors and residents raised safety, cost and timing concerns during the public comment portion. Linda Frakes, a resident, told the staff she preferred wood fires for ambiance and said she would stop buying a vendor bonfire if required to haul a propane tank. “I’m not gonna do a bonfire where I have to carry a propane tank and a propane I just won’t do it anymore,” Frakes said.
Jessica Miller, owner of Serene Occasions and a local bonfire vendor, said her company already uses smokeless, self-contained “solo stove” pits and urged the county to allow both smokeless solid-fuel containers and propane so vendors would have time to transition. “I would propose that you would allow for a smokeless bonfire and propane option for 2026 and allow for better transition time frame,” Miller said, arguing the proposed timeline would be difficult for small businesses to meet.
Other speakers pressed safety trade-offs. Sarah Day, a resident, asked whether a propane tank sitting behind a fire would present a hazard if children approached the setup; county staff replied that propane-equipped pits offer the ability to shut off fuel quickly but acknowledged the change adds a new element for vendors and customers to manage.
County staff said they have not set a final effective date and are taking public input before sending the draft ordinance to the Board of County Commissioners. Corman said the county aims to return a proposed ordinance for commissioners’ consideration before the next permit-issuing season that begins Feb. 1, 2026, but cautioned the timeline could slip.
Ending: The workshop produced no vote; staff said they will incorporate feedback and present a revised draft to the county commissioners. In the meantime, vendors and residents urged the county to allow smokeless solid-fuel options, provide longer transition time and issue clear guidance and training for new equipment and safety checks.
