Gov. Newsom orders closure of beaches only in Orange County

People are seen gathering on the Corona del Mar State Beach on April 25, 2020 in Newport Beach, California. Southern California is expecting summer like weather this weekend as social distancing and beach closures in neighboring counties continue due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). less People are seen gathering on the Corona del Mar State Beach on April 25, 2020 in Newport Beach, California. Southern California is expecting summer like weather this weekend as social distancing and beach ... more Photo: Michael Heiman, Getty Images Photo: Michael Heiman, Getty Images Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Gov. Newsom orders closure of beaches only in Orange County 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday a hard closure of beaches in Orange County after crowds flooded its coastline over the weekend amid a heat spell. The governor called the new order a "targeted and focused move" with the aim "to solve a public health problem."

The news came as a surprise: Newsom was expected to order a closure of all beaches across the state due to a memo sent Wednesday evening to police chiefs around the state.

The governor said in the conference that state officials reached out to counties on Wednesday about closing beaches, but added the plan was never to shutter the entire coastline. "I can't square what others may have said," he commented.

Newsom said Orange County will be responsible for enforcing the temporary closure. "The application of these rules have to happen at the local level but, when it doesn’t, we have to provide guidance. We don’t want to be heavy-handed, but we have a framework of engagement and a way to develop heightened awareness, more of public campaign and doing our best to let people know what’s at stake."

Earlier this week Newsom targeted beachgoers in Orange and Ventura counties, calling them an example of “what not to do” if the state wants to continue its progress fighting the coronavirus. While many beaches and trails throughout the state have been closed for weeks, others have remained open with warnings for visitors to practice social distancing and more have reopened.

In Newport Beach, some 80,000 visitors hit the beach over the weekend, although lifeguards said most people exercised social distancing. With criticism swirling, the Newport Beach City Council met Tuesday and rejected a proposal to close the beaches for the next three weekends.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.