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11 East Bay parks to close Sunday due to fire danger
KTVU's Tom Vacar reports.
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - With a major wind event coming to the state on Sunday, the East Bay Regional Park District has decided to close several of its parks, preserves, and recreation areas
Another looming threat is power shutoffs.
The district said it's trying to avoid any wildfire dangers that could result in people being harmed or a massive loss of property in the face of record winds.
The District said it expects the strongest winds in 20 years to howl through 11 of its 77 parks and preserves, so much so, that they will be completely closed to the public all day and night Sunday and Monday.
"In those ridgelines in the hillsides, that's where the winds are going to be more severe. Winds are suspected to be from 25 to 40 mph," said East Bay Parks spokesperson Dave Mason. "It's going to be windy everywhere but definitely gonna be more sustained there and falling branches are a major concern as well as the increased fire dangers."
The regional parks and preserves scheduled to close include Chabot, Lake Chabot, Reinhardt Redwood, Tilden, and Wildcat Canyon along with Alvarez Park, Claremont Canyon, Huckleberry Botanic, Leona Canyon and Silby Volcanic. Recreational closures involve Kennedy Grove and Roberts.
Those who violate orders to stay out of those areas can be fined, cited or arrested.
Cal Fire as well as park district firefighters will be on high alert for the wind event.
"It's hard to evacuate people for the parks, to close it, during an active activity or incident, so it's really important that we take this action now to help ensure public safety," said Mason.
In addition, vast regions of the Bay Area are subject to Public Safety Power Shutoffs. This would be larger and more widespread compared last week's event.
"At this point, the Bay Area is in "PSPS watch mode," which means Emergency Operations Center for that possibility, but we have not called for a PSPS," said spokesman for the electric company Tamar Sarkissian.
The specifics on the possible shutoffs remain elusive.
"The weather is very fluid and so, anytime we are taking a look at that weather and considering a PSPS, there's always the possibility of changes," said Sarkissian.