Parts of western Placer County near the Sacramento County line are scheduled for aerial mosquito treatment Wednesday night after mosquitoes in the area tested positive for West Nile virus.
The Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District plans to conduct the treatment Wednesday, July 29, between 8:30 p.m. and midnight. The operation may be postponed or canceled if weather or other conditions prevent a safe application. (PMVCD)
According to the district’s treatment map, the targeted area covers the rural Riego community immediately north of Elverta.
The treatment zone is generally:
- South of Baseline Road
- East of the Placer-Sacramento county line and the Counsman area
- North of the developed portions of Elverta
- West of the agricultural land extending east of Riego
The red boundary on the accompanying map shows the approximate treatment area. Residents near Baseline Road, Riego and northern Elverta may see or hear the treatment aircraft, even when the plane is flying outside the marked boundary.
The district said the treatment was scheduled because of West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes and high numbers of adult mosquitoes in the area.
An Environmental Protection Agency-registered mosquito adulticide will be released from an aircraft as an ultra-low-volume fog. The treatment is intended to reduce the adult mosquito population and lower the risk of West Nile virus transmission to people.
Weather conditions, mosquito surveillance data and the type of aircraft being used are all considered before treatment begins. Wind speed and direction are especially important.
Aircraft may fly upwind or outside the treatment boundary so the material can drift into the intended area. Specialized equipment allows the pilot and treatment contractor to measure wind conditions and adjust the flight path accordingly.
The district describes adulticide spraying as one part of a broader mosquito-management program that includes surveillance, disease testing and treatment of mosquito breeding areas. (PMVCD)
Residents can reduce their exposure to mosquitoes by removing standing water, repairing damaged window screens and using an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors, particularly around dawn and dusk.
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