Six county areas subject to fire season closure
Several areas within Riverside County have been closed to public access because of high potential fire danger. At its May 25 meeting, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved County Fire Chief Bill Weiser’s recommendation to close six areas — North Mountain and Indian Canyon, Whitewater Canyon, Ramona Bowl (closed daily noon to sunrise), Bautista Canyon, Steel Peak and the Eagle Canyon/Tin Mine area.
The closures will be effective June 1 and will continue until Weiser believes it is safe to reopen them to public use.
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“Hazardous fire area” means public or private land covered with grass, grain, brush or forest and situated in a location that makes suppression difficult, resulting in great damage. Although drought conditions have been removed, the winter precipitation has created a very extensive grass crop. Consequently, these areas are particularly vulnerable and were closed during the 2022 summer also.
Weiser recommended their closure except for public roadways and private property within these areas that is inhabited.
Riverside County Ordinance 787 restricts public access to these identified hazardous fire areas unless private property access is required. It does not prohibit residents or owners of private property within any closed area, or their invitees, from going in or being on their lands.
Violations of the closure may be subject to a minimum fine of $100 for first-time offenses.
While Idyllwild and Pine Cove and other Hill communities are surrounded or adjacent to U.S. Forest Service land, the North Mountain, Indian and Bautista canyons areas are very close to Hill communities to the west and south.