On Thursday afternoon, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued orders closing beaches in Orange County after tens of thousands flooded the beaches during last week’s heatwave, raising concerns that such gatherings could result in the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The order was much narrower than anticipated, and came after widespread reports that the governor would move to close all of California’s beaches in an announcement on Thursday.
In a press conference, Newsom denied that he ever saw a memo circulated among police chiefs around the state telling them to prepare plans for beach closures. "We just want to focus on where there's a problem ... in a smart, strategic way," Newsom said. "We don't want to be heavy-handed about these things." The governor also suggested that, with proper guidelines in place to ensure social distancing, beaches in Orange County could open up again soon.
For the time being, then, Santa Barbara’s beaches remain open, although officials are urging residents to be smart and exercise responsible decision-making. Last week, county authorities warned that parking lots near beaches and trailheads could be closed if residents couldn’t stick to social-distancing rules.