California Counties Prohibit River Recreation Due to Hazardous Conditions.

Several counties in Central California have banned people from entering rivers that flow from the Sierra Nevada due to dangerous conditions caused by swift currents and fatalities. At least 16 people have died or gone missing in rivers across the state since April. Officials are warning everyone to take heed, especially those who have safely dipped in a river during normal years and may feel overconfident. The Kern River and other major waterways fed by melting Sierra Nevada snow have become wild torrents, and temperatures are expected to rise in the coming weeks, leading to major snow melts.