Whitewater residents concerned over influx of visitors, disobeying fire danger rules

Friday one Whitewater resident spoke out after visitors continue to frequent the area despite being closed due to the potential for wildfire threats.

"It just takes one spark and the whole place would go up," Whitewater resident, Wayne King said.

Kind, along with several other residents, have been fighting for years to keep the canyon safe. With temperatures soaring, and dry conditions, the risk of a wildfire igniting can multiply.

"The volume of people is very dangerous because this is a high-risk fire zone," King said.

People visit the area to cool off, but many have been found to bring barbecues and grills, which are strictly prohibited.

The area is divided into jurisdictions. The Whitewater Preserve is private land, while the canyon south of that is largely managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

"All the other lands outside of the Whitewater Preserve are inside the fire closure, and are closed to public access," Regional Director for Wildlands Conservancy and Whitewater Preserve Manager, Jack Thompson said.

The main visitor center of the preserve remains closed due to COVID-19. The organization has opened up a small area within the preserve as an alternative, where visitors can enjoy the water. Thompson said smoking, barbecues, fireworks, alcohol and glass containers are all prohibited.

Thompson said visitors should pay attention to the main sign indicating where the Whitewater Preserve begins.

"If they’re outside of the Whitewater Preserve they’ll be inside the fire closure are and are subject to be fined."

South of the area, several signs are posted that read, "Extreme Fire Danger." Despite the signage, we saw several cars parked and people ignoring the closure.

Neighbors said some of the signs are inadequate because they do not blatantly say, "Closed."

"And it’s canyon with only one road out so if there is a fire up there, those people could be trapped," King said.

The Bureau of Land Management said it patrols the area. They released this statement:

“The public is reminded it is illegal to enter and be on public lands described and identified as the “Fire Closure Area.”  Violation of this order is punishable by a fine of not more than $100,000 or imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both.”

The order goes from May 6 to October 31.

Neighbors said otherwise, and that it's rare for the BIA to come out and patrol. King is one of them, who would like to see that change.

"We really want to see more enforcement by BLM, sheriff’s department, and highway patrol," King said.

Further down the canyon, a large body of water is also off-limits. People have defied "No Trespassing" signs in the past.

"The Coachella Valley Water District, in partnership with Desert Water Agency, uses the Whitewater channel to move water from the Colorado River aqueduct to our groundwater replenishment facility. When that’s happening it's a really significant volume of water that’s moving through that channel and it creates a danger for anyone who would want to go into that water," Coachella Valley Water District Director of Communications and Conservation, Katie Evans said.

The waterway is known to be extremely dangerous. In September 2018, a father and son both drowned on labor day.

Evans says when the they receive water, CVWD hires private security to patrol the area.