Lincoln City Council receives mosquito and vector control update

Lincoln City Council received a Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District update at Tuesday's meeting. The update was set for the May 24 council meeting but the update in May was canceled because of technical difficulties . The Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District is an independent, non-enterprise, special district in Northern California governed by the California Mosquito and Vector Law, according to Placer Mosquito public information officer Megan Luevano. "Our district's mission is to effectively and efficiently manage the risks from vectors and vector-borne disease in order to protect public health and quality of life in Placer County," Luevano said. The Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District serves all of Placer County. West Placer areas such as Roseville, Lincoln, Loomis, Granite Bay and Rocklin, Luevano said, often experience a high volume of mosquitoes during this time of year. Luevano reported that West Nile virus is detected annually in the western Placer area. West Nile virus is a flavivirus transmitted through mosquitoes. According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus symptoms include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. Auburn, Colfax, and Foresthill also have an active amount of mosquitoes in the region but Luevano shared that ticks are more present. "We detect Lyme disease in about two percent of ticks (in the area)," Luevano said. In regions such as Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Tahoe City, an increase of yellowjackets and rodents is noticeable during the summer. Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District manager Joel Buettner provided a more detailed outlook for mosquitoes here this season, as well as background on the increase in mosquitoes in the western Placer area. According to Buettner, a mosquito species known as aedes aegypti was first detected in Fresno in 2013. By 2018, this species of mosquito spread throughout California and made its way to Sacramento and Placer counties in 2019. In 2021, Buettner reported that aedes aegypti were detected in seven areas in the Sacramento Valley as far north as Redding. "This year, we'll be increasing our efforts to detect invasive aedes aegypti in Placer County and in some areas, we may be reaching out to the public to report abnormal day-biting mosquito activity," Buettner said. Depending on the weather, Buettner said, the West Nile virus can be detected in mosquito activity as early as late June and peaking around mid August throughout Placer County. In September and October, there is typically a decrease in West Nile virus detection as well as mosquito activity due to the cooler temperatures. Buettner shared that the more common mosquito species spotted in Placer County are anopheles freeborni, aedes melanimon and aedes vexan. Buettner stated that these mosquitoes do not carry viruses and are categorized as "nuisance mosquitoes." Like West Nile mosquitoes, these nuisance mosquitoes are more active during warmer weather. Buettner predicted that there could potentially be a decrease in mosquito activity due to the impact that the drought has on a mosquito's preferred, moist habitat. If you are experiencing increased mosquito biting activity, notify the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District by submitting a problem report on its website at https://placermosquito.org/. The Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District also encourages members of the public to wear an Environment Protection Agency registered bug repellent that contain ingredients such as picaridin and Diethyl-3-Methylbenzamide, also known as DEET. There was no need for council discussion or approval as this was only an informational presentation. In other news Lincoln City Council discussed and approved the Lincoln 2022 Independence Day Fireworks Show agreement between the city of Lincoln, and the Lincoln Fourth of July Foundation. The Lincoln Fourth of July Foundation was created in 2013 by a handful of Lincoln volunteers to fundraise and produce the Lincoln Fourth of July Celebration all-day events. This item was pulled from the council's consent calendar. The fireworks on July 4 will be funded by the Lincoln Fourth of July Foundation. In addition, the Lincoln Potters will also provide its own fireworks shows at the following upcoming baseball games: June 18, July 2, July 16 and July 30. "I just think that this time of year, everything is going to start popping up on Facebook," said Lincoln City Councilmember Alyssa Silhi. "Everyone wants to know what's happening (with the Fourth of July), and we're gonna make sure that it didn't just get buried in the consent file, and that we're moving right along with it." According to city officials, the annual Lincoln fireworks show on July 4 is a long-standing family tradition. The fireworks display attracts hundreds of Lincoln residents as well as surrounding communities' residents. Lincoln City Manager Sean Scully provided updates from working with the city's Fourth of July Foundation. "What they would tell you is that it's been a challenging year for probably a variety of reasons to fundraise," Scully said. "I've figured out a way within the confines of my budget to help a little bit with not any kind of direct payment for the fireworks but some additional assistance with some Porta Potties and some other things that are hard costs for them and are a little bit difficult." Scully also reported that the foundation was able to get the Pacific, Gas, and Electric Company to cover the cost of traffic control for the parade and fireworks show, which will eliminate $20,000 from the cost of the day's events, according to Scully. Scully also encouraged the community to donate toward the Lincoln Fourth of July Foundation in any way that they can for the upcoming holiday event.