Beach bonfires at the California beaches are incredibly special. 

Not like the woods with crickets, frogs, snakes, bears, raccoons and all the scary stuff, there's the soft, cool sand underneath your feet, a towel to wrap around you to cut the cool evening breeze, the smell of that wood crackling and sending its drifts of smoke into the air. With the ocean's fishy smell, you could almost swear you were dining on woodfired or barbequed salmon, King crab or something tasty.

Huntington Beach features several miles of fire rings for bonfires. The city has three beaches, all with firerings for bonfires. On a weekend before the 4th of July, you'll find beach-goers testing their skills on snagging a ring or grill.  Some park in the morning just to stake out a bonfire pit.

Can you imagine 8 long hours at a beach just to have a bonfire?  Wow! That's just how much people want them.  It was only a few years back that the the fire rings were going to be removed from some beaches, due to the clean up required on a daily basis to maintain them.  The plan went up in smoke, however, due to public outcry.

In the video above, the guy is a real funny dude.  He is cooking pieces of beef in a pan over the fire.  We didn't ask how those pieces were going to feed the huge family gathering. Somebody throws on his big pink tie and he offers a bit of comedy, discussing the A1 Steak Sauce in his hand.