Hiking areas in and near the San Jacinto Valley, Nuevo/Lakeview area and Whitewater have reopened to public access after being closed in June and July due to high fire danger.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Chief John R. Hawkins lifted the restriction because recent rains decreased the fire threat in the high fire hazard areas, according to a Cal Fire announcement issued Sunday.

The areas now open to public use are North Mountain and Indian Canyon near San Jacinto; Avery Canyon off Gibbel Road, Minto Way, Ramona Bowl and Bautista Canyon, all south or southeast of Hemet; Reinhardt Canyon off Highway 74 west of Hemet; Nuevo east of Menifee Road and San Jacinto Avenue, and Whitewater Canyon north of Interstate 10 between Cabazon and Palm Springs.

--Gail Wesson

gwesson@PE.com

Acting agriculture secretary to visit

Acting U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner is scheduled to take an aerial tour today of the San Bernardino National Forest before visiting officials at an air tanker base in San Bernardino.

Conner's department oversees the U.S. Forest Service.

Among the fire scene's he will view are those of the 12,759-acre Slide Fire and the 1,247-acre Grass Valley Fire, which burned during October in the San Bernardino Mountains near Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs, and the 2006 Esperanza Fire that killed five firefighters in the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County.

After the tour, Conner is scheduled to land at about 3:30 p.m. at San Bernardino Air Tanker Base to meet with politicians and federal, state and local fire officials, forest Fire Chief Mike Dietrich said.

--Richard Brooks

rbrooks@PE.com

Dental-school grads seeking exam patients

Students at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry will evaluate people who could be eligible for free dental work.

The school's graduates need patients on which to perform procedures for their licensing examinations. Participants must be at least 16 years old and cannot have complete dentures. Those who qualify may receive cleanings and fillings.

The first screening will be held 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the dentistry school at 11092 Anderson St. in Loma Linda. Other screenings will be Feb. 12, Feb. 13, Feb. 20 and Feb. 21.

Call 909-558-4697 for information.

--Lora Hines

lhines@PE.com

Rabbi to discuss book on cancer survival

Rabbi Douglas Kohn will discuss the book he co-authored and edited, "Life, Faith and Cancer: Jewish Journeys Through Diagnosis, Treatment and Recovery," as well as issues involved with facing cancer, at Barnes & Noble in Redlands' Citrus Plaza at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit the Jewish Reform Movement's Department of Jewish Family Life.

Kohn, who lives in Redlands, is rabbi at Temple Emanu El in San Bernardino.

--The Press-Enterprise

Riverside pet adoption center reopens

The Riverside Humane Society Pet Adoption Center re-opens at its new 17,000-square-foot facility today at 9 a.m. located at 6165 Industrial Ave.

The hours for the center will be Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Information: 951-688-4340 or www.petsadoption.org

--Timothy Guy

tguy@PE.com