Open burning of material will be banned in Riverside County as of Friday, the fire chief announced Wednesday.
“Warming temperatures and strong winds are rapidly drying out the annual grasses and vegetation throughout Riverside County, which creates a dense layer of dry fuel, significantly increasing the risk of wildfires,” according to a statement from the Riverside County Fire Department.
As a result, all permits for outdoor residential burning in areas of the county controlled by Cal Fire will be suspended effective Friday, according to the news release.
“This suspension is a necessary step to help prevent wildfires and protect lives,” the department said.
The suspension effectively bans all residential outdoor burning of landscape debris, but agricultural burning in the Palo Verde and Coachella valleys will be allowed “as required for agricultural rehabilitation.”
Authorities said the length of the suspension will be at the discretion of the fire chief and will depend on meteorological and other considerations.
The announcement comes one day after the Riverside County Board of Supervisors authorized Fire Chief Geoff Pemberton to close access to multiple outdoor recreational locations for the duration of Southern California’s wildfire season to minimize public safety risks.
Sites falling under the closure order are:
— Bautista Canyon, southeast of Hemet;
— Eagle Canyon, between Lake Mathews and the county landfill, just north of Cajalco Road;
— Indian Canyon and North Mountain, around San Jacinto;
— the Ramona Bowl, south of Hemet; and
— Steel Peek, northwest of Meadowbrook, due west of Good Hope and south of Gavilan Hills.