Fire Threat Closes 1,000-Acre Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve

Palm Desert CA

02 September, 2021

8:22 PM

Description

PALM DESERT, CA — The 1,000-acre Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve just west of Palm Desert is closed to the public through mid-September due to wildfire risk, the California Department Of Fish and Wildlife announced. It is one of 34 CDFW wildlife areas or ecological reserves that closed Wednesday across the state; all are located near U.S. Forest Service boundaries. Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve is the only one that closed in Riverside County. It is near the San Bernardino National Forest. The CDFW properties will be shuttered through Friday, September 17, according to state officials. The shutdowns followed temporary closure this week of all national forests in California due to fire risk. The closures include the Cleveland National Forest and the San Bernardino National Forest, both of which spread across parts of Riverside County. Read more here. "Fire danger is extreme in California currently," the CDFW reported. Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve is located about 5 miles west of Palm Desert just off state Route 74. The reserve's topography is steep and is home to bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, bobcats, and gray foxes. Common bird species include the golden eagle, Gambel's quail, mourning dove, and black-throated sparrow, according to the CDFW. "The property was purchased to preserve a historic water supply for peninsular bighorn sheep in Carrizo Canyon, and to maintain and improve habitat for this species. It was designated as an ecological reserve by the Fish and Game Commission in 1978," the agency's website states. "The property is undeveloped and has been used primarily for hiking and wildlife viewing."