Summer officially begins this weekend, and the Berrien County Parks Department and the State’s DNR are reminding people during this week’s heatwave that they need to be cautious before they hit the beaches.

The Great Lakes are prone to dangerous currents that are a threat to even experienced swimmers, and Genevieve Graves at Silver Beach told WSJM that beachgoers need to be sure to watch out for warning flags before they get in the water to cool off.

Silver Beach uses Green Flags for a low swim risk, Yellow for a moderate risk, and Red indicating the most dangerous conditions. Red flags are also accompanied with signs that are posted in plain sight, including when you first arrive at the beach.

Swimmers could be fined for going in on red flag days.