BROOKINGS By the time you read this, a lot of mosquitoes will be close to losing their lives. And not a moment too soon.
Recent wet, humid weather created perfect conditions for a mosquito surge. To help mitigate the population, the city plans citywide ground fogging between 8 p.m. and midnight Tuesday. The treatment areas will include bike trails and parks.
There will also be additional treatment of Pioneer Park later in the week in advance of the Brookings Summer Arts Festival.
Crews likely will follow up with fogging efforts later this week in hopes of mitigating the mosquito population for outdoor weekend activities, including various baseball tournaments and the Brookings Summer Arts Festival at Pioneer Park, said John Thompson, director of Public Works.
Since May, the Street Division has been proactively treating ponds and wet areas throughout the city with mosquito larvicide in an attempt to kill the larvae before they can become biting adult mosquitoes.
Unfortunately, the combination of frequent rains and warm temperatures have created the ideal environment for the mosquito population to explode, Thompson said. Community members can help our mosquito mitigation efforts by removing sources of standing water in their yards.
According to the city, the ground-fogging equipment is noisy and travels between 10 and 15 mph. The mosquito-control pickups are identified and travel with flashing amber and white lights, so people can easily recognize them, Thompson said.
Although mosquito-control insecticides pose low risks, some people may prefer to minimize or avoid exposure to these chemicals. Some common-sense steps to help reduce exposure include staying indoors during the fogging activity and closing windows and doors.
Inclement weather or winds higher than 15 mph will cause the City to suspend fogging and reschedule it for a different day.
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