Riverside County to reopen 7 hiking areas, lift burn permit suspension on Monday

Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·2 min read

Riverside County will reopen seven hiking areas throughout the region and lift a burn permit suspension, effective Monday.

Recent rains and milder temperatures have led to more favorable conditions for outdoor activities in the following seven areas:

  • Eagle Canyon/Tin Mine (east of Corona)

  • Steel Peak (north of Lake Elsinore)

  • Bautista Canyon (southeast of Hemet)

  • North Mountain (south of Banning, north of San Jacinto)

  • Whitewater Canyon (east of Cabazon)

  • Ramona Bowl (south of Hemet)

  • Simpson Park (south of Hemet)

"I am pleased that we are able to open these beautiful areas of Riverside County for full-access, but would like to remind visitors to remain vigilant and mindful when it comes to the threat of wildland fires," Riverside County and CAL FIRE Riverside Unit Chief Bill Weiser said in a statement.

Future closures may be implemented based on weather conditions, fuel moisture and increased fire threat. Maps for each of the affected areas can be located at https://tinyurl.com/hikingclosures

More: Coachella Valley hiking guide: 26 trails in the valley, high desert and forest

Burn suspension lifted

The burn suspension will lift at 8 a.m. Monday. Cooler temperatures, higher humidity and the chance of winter weather have helped to begin to diminish the threat of wildfires.

Those with current and valid agriculture and residential burn permits can resume burning on permissible burn days. Agricultural burns must be inspected by CAL FIRE prior to burning until the end of the peak fire season, according to a press release.

Property owners and residents are asked to use caution while conducting debris or agriculture burns, follow guidelines and maintain control of the fire at all times. Individuals can be held civilly and/or criminally liable for allowing a fire to escape their control and/or burn onto neighboring property.

Pile burning requirements include:

  • Residential burning is not permitted in Riverside County, with the exception of tumbleweeds

  • The burning of trash, painted wood or other debris is not allowed

  • Do not burn on windy days

  • Piles should be no larger than three feet high by two feet wide. You can add to pile as it burns down

  • Clear a 10-foot diameter down to bare soil around your piles

  • Have a shovel and a water source nearby

  • An adult is required to be in attendance of the fire at all times.

Residents who wish to burn can contact the South Coast Air Quality Management District at 866-966-3293 or visit http://www.aqmd.gov/home/airquality/air-alerts to see if it is a permissible burn day.

For more information on burning, visit https://www.fire.ca.gov/

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Riverside County to reopen hiking areas, lift burn permit suspension