Update, Oct. 26: The East Bay Regional Park District on Monday said it was extending the closure of 11 regional parks in the East Bay hills through Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 8 a.m. This is due to an extended Red Flag Warning that anticipates continued high winds gusting to 60-70 mph in the ridgelines which are expected through Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Details at EBRPD’s website.Original story: The East Bay Regional Park District has closed ten local parks starting today at 5 a.m. through Friday due to high winds and heightened fire danger, the district announced Tuesday.
The following parks are temporarily closed:
- Anthony Chabot Regional Park, including Anthony Chabot campground
- Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve
- Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
- Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area
- Leona Canyon Open Space Regional Preserve
- Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
- Roberts Regional Recreation Area
- Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
- Tilden Regional Park
- Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, including Alvarado Park
A red flag warning from the National Weather Service prompted EBRPD to close the parks at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. They are slated to reopen at 11 a.m. on Friday.
Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve is also closed due to wildfire cleanup, and will reopen when declared safe (hat-tip Peggy Scott).
High fire risk and social distancing have closed local parks several times this year. The park district closed most of its parks in late August as wildfires burned across much of the state, and the popular Point Isabel dog park was closed in April and June to comply with state and county shelter-in-place orders.
Turnouts along Grizzly Peak Boulevard have also been blocked off in a multi-jurisdictional effort to prevent people from gathering and setting off fireworks during fire season. Berkeley, Oakland and UC Berkeley responded to resident complaints of risky activity at the popular overlook in September and have placed tape, barriers and signs preventing visitors from congregating at the vista spots.
Visit the EBRPD website for more park info.
