Pools in Eaton Fire zone could become mosquito breeding grounds, experts say
Mosquito threat in Eaton Fire burn zone
Thousands of pools and other standing bodies of water are posing a major health risk in the Eaton Fire burn zone area, serving as potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
PASADENA, Calif. - Hundreds and hundreds of swimming pools in homes destroyed by the Eaton Fire could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes — a lot of mosquitoes. Each unattended pool can become the source of as many as 3 million mosquitoes in one month.
By the numbers:
Technicians from the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control are trying to get ahead of the problem as the weather begins to heat up. They've identified 1,300 pools in destroyed or heavily damaged homes inside the burn zone and about 1,400 on its perimeter, filled with ash and debris.
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That's 2,700 pools, plus fountains, jacuzzis, even broken septic systems they are worried about.
Why you should care:
It's a health issue, explained Communications Director Anais Medina Diaz. West Nile Virus is already endemic in Southern California. But LA County documented as many as 234 cases of Dengue fever last year. Spread by mosquitoes, it can cause high fever, body aches, vomiting and rashes.
What you can do:
Officials are asking residents in the burn areas to contact Vector Control offices, and let them know if there are water features in their properties that may need treatment. There is no additional cost to property owners for requesting inspections or treatments.
Just go to their website at sgvmosquito.org.
The Source: Information in this story is from interviews with San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control.