Due to “extreme weather and fires during the COVID-19 pandemic,” all Pacifica beaches and beach parking lots will be closed until Monday, according to the City of Pacifica.
High inland temperatures over recent weekends are expected to continue this weekend, drawing crowds to coastal beaches. The current wildfire emergency in San Mateo County has increased the need to keep roadways clear for emergency vehicle traffic responding to the fire scenes and to facilitate continual evacuations, the City of Pacifica announced. It is anticipated that crowds traveling to the beach areas could potentially interfere with emergency operations.
In addition to traffic concerns, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air Alert through Sunday, August 23, due to unhealthy air caused by wildfire smoke.
Anticipated beach crowds would likely be negatively affected by air quality, according to officials.
The following beaches and beach parking lots will be closed in Pacifica:
- Pacifica State Beach (Linda Mar Beach) and north and south parking lots
- Crespi parking lot in front of the Pacifica Community Center
- Rockaway Beach and north and south parking lots
- Sharp Park Beach
- Esplanade Beach and Fisherman’s Lot in the 800 block of Palmetto Avenue
The Coastal Trail, Mori Point hiking trails, Beach Boulevard Promenade, and Pacifica Pier will remain open for visitors to enjoy, the city said.
City officials in Half Moon Bay have also closed their beaches and beach parking from sunrise Friday morning to sunrise Monday morning.
“It is unfortunate that these weekend closures need to occur,” says Pacifica Mayor Deirdre Martin, “but this public safety measure is appropriate for the safety of the community.”
image: Courtesy of the City of Pacifica
I was unaware that these beaches belonged to the cities. Why bother with laws? In the name of “public safety” they can do whatever they want.
ridiculous!
why are protecting those who likely won’t get sick? why can’t we protect those who need protecting without making everyone and their livelihoods suffer? answer we can.
because, the weather is “extreme” don’t ya know. Nobody has ever experienced 80-90 degree weather before, not even in the summer. we need the leadership in Pacifica to keep us safe from such extremes.
Ya know, closing beaches to keep the roads unclogged from unnecessary WE travel, so emergency operations can run efficiently, sounds credible. But then they throw in the pandemic that has nothing to do with the fires, and they keep the hiking trails open, and the credibility of the claim goes straight out the window. If beaches must close to help emergency operations, then so should hiking trails.
@Chuckie’s Wife
Couldn’t agree more. Their reasoning is all over the place. For instance, they listed air quality as a reason for beach closures, but the hiking trails are open. Well, the air quality is just as bad, if not worse, on the trails than it is on the beaches. They should have said they’re closed to aid in emergency operations, and left it at that.
I think I remember evacuees in past fires staying at beaches in their tents/cars rather than shelters. The air is cleaner at beaches. Keep taking our freedoms away in the name of this BS health safety concern.
“Anticipated beach crowds would likely be
negatively affected by air quality, according
to local officials”.
So we will stay home and breathe the crisp
clean air that’s blowing into our neighborhood
from Colorado. Thanks for saving us from the
smoke!
More “covidism” from the authorities who are enjoying their authoritarian powers they now have over the public. The people need to push back.
Since when did government care so much about our health & well being???
Of course they’re closing them. It’s the only clean air to breathe. They’re taking that away from us too.