Designated city-owned open spaces that have high fire potential are now off-limits in Folsom, according to an announcement by the Folsom Police and Fire Departments.
Under the Folsom Fire Code, the Folsom Fire Chief can temporarily close city-owned open spaces to protect the public’s health, life, and safety by preventing wildfires. All existing public trails, bicycle paths, and parks remain open.
Last year, the City of Folsom closed its open areas under a declared fire emergency by the Folsom Chief. Prior to 2023, the city approved a modification to its ordinance, allowing officials to declare closure based on fire conditions without an emergency order.
“Any individuals occupying or accessing these designated areas will be directed to vacate immediately,” reads the announcement. Failure to comply is a misdemeanor offense under Section 2.28.070 of the Folsom Municipal Code,
“We won’t be closing down the bikes trails or anything like that, those will still be accessible,” Folsom Fire Chief Cusano told Folsom Times. “But we will be closing down the open spaces around many of them. Nobody really has any business being back in those areas this time of year when fire danger is on the rise.”
The closures will now prohibit all members of the public from trekking into the declared wild land spaces. This means no off-trail hikes will be permitted and it certainly means no camping or residing in those areas will be permitted.
The city owns approximately 1,000 acres of open spaces. A combination of factors makes these areas susceptible to severe. Common causes of fires in these dry environments include discarded cigarettes, unattended campfires, trash burning, and any use of open flame.
“The vast majority of the fires we have in those types of areas are caused by those who are camping out or living in those areas,” Cusano said. “And when those types of fires-start they pose a variety of dangers, not only to property but our firefighters have to be mindful of what types of items can be in an ecampment, it’s not something we want to send anyone directly into if we can prevent it.”
The closed areas throughout the city will be marked with signage. Below is a list of the closed areas with active links that display the specific maps of the closure.
Closed Open Space Area Maps; Simply click on the name of the location see full map of the specific closure.
- Citywide Overview Map
- The Parkway Overview
- The Parkway – West Area
- The Parkway – East Area
- Humbug / Willow Creek – South
- Humbug / Willow Creek – North
- Folsom Heights / Enclave
- American River Canyon North
- Prairie Oaks Ranch
- Prairie Oaks Ranch – Catlin North
- Hinkle Creek Nature Area
- City Hall Complex- Lower Rodeo Area
To report concerns of potential violations of the emergency order, call the Folsom Police Department at 916-461-6400. For more information contact the Folsom Fire Department at 916-461-6300 or at folsomfire@folsom.ca.us. Call 9-1-1 to report a fire or other emergencies.
To report concerns of potential violations, residents can contact the Folsom Police Department at 916-461-6400.
