Concord extends open space closures as extreme heat continues
CONCORD – The city of Concord will keep its open spaces closed through Thursday.
Contra Costa County is under an excessive heat warning as temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees much of this week, creating dangerous conditions.
At the recommendation of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the city will keep open space areas—including Lime Ridge Open Space and the open space areas within Newhall Community Park—until Thursday.
The city said hot temperatures will increase the risk of fire danger and create health risks for people. Closing open spaces will protect the public and preserve firefighting resources.
Fire officials said nearly all fires are caused by human activity and are preventable, and asked people to use extreme caution when outdoors to prevent inadvertent wildfires.
The city offers some fire-related tips, including reporting any fire immediately to 911, keeping a "go bag" ready for one's household (including pets) in case of the need to evacuate.
People can register for the county's emergency alerts at https://cwsalerts.com/ and download a guide for wildfire preparation at https://cccfpd.org/wildfire-prep/.
The city has also extended availability at the following designed cooling centers this week: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Concord Senior Center (2727 Parkside Circle); and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Willow Pass Community Center (2748 E. Olivera Road). For a list of Contra Costa County cooling centers, go to https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3065.
