Three people were severely burned over the weekend while soaking in the Austin Hot Springs in Clackamas County.

Detective Jim Strovink with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s office said the burn victims were reported to be two women and a four-year-old child. The victims appeared to be injured in three separate incidents but all the injuries occurred over the past weekend, within a 24-hour period.

The Austin Hot Springs are located about 37 miles southeast of Estacada along highway 224 in an area that is not closely patrolled by Sheriff’s deputies.

The hot springs are on privately owned land that is surrounded by US Forest Service land and people trespass in order to access the hot springs.

The owner of the land told KGW that they have posted many "No trespassing" signs on the property, but people tear them down or ignore them. They also tried putting up gates with locks, but the locks were cut and the gates forced open.

The water at the hot springs is often close to 190 degrees and the owners said they were trying to keep the property closed, to protect the public.

Mike Rysaby with the Northwest Forest Conservancy said that they are working with the Austin family to try and keep trespassers from gaining access to the property but that trespassing is a constant problem.

Rysaby said that it is not uncommon to have large groups of people accessing the hot springs on weekends, although the property is blocked by a large gate and deep trenches.

Two of the burn victims from this past weekend sustained life-threatening injuries, authorities said. All three were taken to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland for treatment.