California · Penal Code
PEN §409.5: (a) When a menace to the public health or safety is created by a calamity including a flood, storm, fire, earthquake, explosion, accident, or other disaster, officers of the Department of the Californ
What this law says, in plain English
A person commits a misdemeanor by willfully and knowingly entering or remaining in an area closed by law enforcement during a disaster or emergency, after being notified to leave.
Read the full statutory text
Verify at the official source: California legislative text
Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.
MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.