County closes several areas due to possible wildfires

Several areas within Riverside County have been closed to public access
because of high potential fire danger. This is one of several steps the
Riverside County Fire Department is taking to reduce wildfire threats
and prepare residents in case of an emergency, even earthquakes or
floods.

At its May 21 meeting, the 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
12:00 pm to sunrise), Bautista Canyon, Steel Peak, and the Eagle Canyon
/ Tin Mine Area.

The closures will be effective Saturday, June 1 and will continue until
Chief Weiser believes it is safe to reopen them to public use.

In the RCFD press release, Weiser explained the need for the closure,
“Following a wet and rainy winter, the rising temperatures and winds are
rapidly drying out the annual grass crop. The escalating threat of
wildfires due to the substantial accumulation of dry grass and
intensified heat and dry conditions in the area has led Cal Fire [to
make this recommendation].”

“Hazardous fire area” means public or private land that is 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 also closed during the summer of 2023.

Weiser recommended their closure except for public roadways and private
property within these areas that are inhabited.

Riverside County Ordinance 787.9 restricts public access to 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 guests, from going in or being upon their lands.

Violators of the closure may be subject to a minimum fine of $100 for
first-time offenses.

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department officials encourage all
residents to take safety precautions now. RCFD stressed that immediate
action can be the difference between life and death.

Besides its first responder action, RCFD wants residents to be informed
of potential or actual threats. This type of critical information is
available through the County’s enhanced emergency alert system known as
Alert RivCo. 

“This year, Riverside County launched an initiative to enhance its
emergency services, establishing pre-determined zones throughout the
county,” wrote April Newman, RCFD Public Information Officer II, in an
email to the Town Crier. “The new system allows first responders to
quickly identify and communicate with areas at risk during emergencies.
Alerts are sent directly to those registered with Alert RivCo and
through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.”

The Riverside County Emergency Management Department’s site is
rivcoready.org and to register for alerts visit,
www.rivcoready.org/alert-rivco. 

Weiser also stressed that residents could help reduce fire threats and
damage if a fire occurs. While outdoor burning of landscape debris by
residents is no longer allowed, he urged residents to take extra time to
ensure that they are prepared for wildfires by establishing or
maintaining a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space around every home
and building, and being prepared to evacuate if the time comes.

“As we transition into the summer months, with rising temperatures and
the lush vegetation following ample winter precipitation, it’s
imperative for residents to ready their properties, clear any excess
growth, and adhere to these restrictions until conditions permit safe
outdoor burning to resume,” emphasized Weiser.

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 canyon areas are very close to Hill communities to the west and
south.

For more information about how one can prepare for wildfire threats and
get information, Cal Fire’s website is www.fire.ca.gov/prepare.

RCFD has designated several emergency zones in the County. Identifying
your zone will enable Alert RivCo to send more specific information to
you.

To find your zone, visit the RivCoReady website. And the CAL
FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department website is www.rvcfire.org.