FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Over 200 people were contacted by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to tell them to stay away from the rivers and embankments of the Kings and San Joaquin rivers, officials say.

The Fresno County Sherry’s Office advised people to stay away from the Kings and San Joaquin rivers despite the warm temperatures and the holiday weekend since the rivers are not open.

According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, hundreds of thousands of gallons of rushing water are coming out of the Pine Flat Dam making its way downstream, which is still posing a danger on Memorial Day.

Deputies stated that they, along with the Fresno Sheriff’s Boat Enforcement Unit, patrolled the lake and riverbanks to make sure people listen to the closures that have been in place for more than two months now.

“Would be very easy for someone to come into the water’s edge and slip and fall. The flow is so fast that it may pull them in,” said Sgt. Stricker.

Entrances to Avocado Lake and the Kings River that would normally be open for people to enjoy on the holiday are blocked off with caution tape, as well as new red signs along the area saying that the rivers are closed, officials stated.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says that, if people break these rules, they can be ticketed, or even arrested if children are left unattended.

“There’s really no reason to have children near the rivers. We have zero tolerance for that. We don’t want to have a rehash of what happened a week ago,” said Stricker.

Two children died after being swept away by the current in this same area just last week, officials say.

Some residents stated that the tragedy is on the back of their minds when it comes to their children.

“Yeah, absolutely especially with a 7-year-old. It is really swift water,” said Shawn Covert, who is worried about his daughter Sydney.

“Unfortunately, sometimes lessons have to be learned the hard way, and there’s no harder way to learn it than something like that happening,” said Stricker.

Deputies will continue to patrol the rivers until they are fully reopened.