PACIFICA, Calif. (AP) — Sunny weekends are luring big crowds to California beaches despite statewide stay-at-home orders due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

But some popular California beach towns, like Pacifica and Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County just south of San Francisco, say they’ll start issuing citations to dissuade out-of-towners from trying to beat the heat along their shores.

The county’s shelter-in-place order allows people to venture outside for essential items and exercise but they must stay within five miles of their homes.

Last weekend the city of Pacifica cleared hundreds of people off beaches after checking IDs and license plates to confirm they live outside the area.

Police say they saw beachgoers coming from as far away as Sacramento, more than one hundred miles away.

Warnings were issued but no fines were given.

But more sunny and warm weather is expected to once again draw crowds this weekend.

Pacifica police say they’ll increase patrols and may issue citations carrying $1,000 fines if out-of-towners don’t stay away.

The city also closed public beach parking lots and gave out more than three hundred parking tickets last weekend for drivers ignoring no parking signs.

The county’s health department issued the five-mile rule last month, one of the most strict social distancing orders in the state,

The local surfing community says it’s trying to spread the word for folks in the region looking to catch some waves to stay safe and stay away for now.

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