In an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires, the San Bernardino County Fire Department and the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District have ordered the closure of the North Etiwanda Preserve.

According to a press release issued by the city, the closure, which began at 8 a.m. on October 18, will last until 8 a.m. on October 20.

The closure comes a month after three major wildfires swept through the region, blackening more than 100,000 acres in total, and on the heels of red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service in anticipation of strong Santa Ana winds that should blow over the Inland Empire. the next few days.

A red flag warning is weather services’ way of communicating to the public that fire spreading conditions are strong.

Those violating the closure order and accessing the preserve’s trails will face fines of $1,000, the news release states.

“The North Etiwanda Reservation is a local treasure and historically significant place within our community,” Rancho Cucamonga Fire Commissioner Rick Snawder said in the release.

According to the release, “the closure is necessary to ensure public safety and prevent the outbreak of a wildfire that could damage or destroy the region’s natural resources and historically significant areas of the North Etiwanda Reserve.”

For more information on the closure, see CityofRC.us/EtiwandaPreserveClosure.