Watch: Police find rattlesnake in kitchen of Walnut Creek home

East Bay Park officials urge caution on trails as rattlesnake season returns

With spring temperatures on the rise, rattlesnakes are reemerging across the East Bay, prompting the East Bay Regional Park District to issue a warning to park visitors ahead of the weekend.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - A Walnut Creek resident was in for quite a surprise when they found a rattlesnake hiding in their kitchen cabinet. 

In a video shared Thursday by Walnut Creek police, the resident is heard calling 911. 

"Yeah, uh, we have a rattlesnake in our kitchen," the caller says.

Police say the officer channeled "his inner Irwin," presumably a reference to the late zookeeper Steve Irwin.

The snake was removed from the home and released back into the wild, police say. 

Rattlesnakes are not unheard of in Contra Costa County. The county's animal services department says the snakes tend to make more appearances during warm weather. 

The department notes that the reptiles are often more active at dawn, dusk or night to prevent overheating during the hot summer.

The Bay Area is seeing a heat wave this week after a relatively mild summer. 

Inland areas can expect temperatures into the 90s this week.