Plans to start fogging for skeeters in Winnipeg were hindered by Mother Nature Thursday, the city says.
A city spokesperson said Friday crews were forced to cancel the planned fogging for adult nuisance mosquitoes because winds were too strong.
Weather permitting, crews will resume treating yesterday’s scheduled areas starting at 9:30 p.m. Friday, the city now says.
Fogging is cancelled if/when the temperature dips below 13 degrees, or if wind speeds make it impossible, according to the city.
The decision to launch the residential adult nuisance mosquito fogging program this week was based on a series of factors, including trap counts, which hit an average of 59 city-wide on Wednesday — moving the city’s adulticiding factor analysis (AFA) from ‘medium’ to ‘high.’
To meet the criteria of both the city and province to begin using pesticides, the AFA must be ‘high’, and the city-wide trap count must be at least 25 female mosquitoes for two consecutive nights, with one or more areas reporting at least 100 female adult mosquitoes.
During the fogging program, the city makes daily announcements — at least eight hours in advance of fogging — letting the public know which areas are scheduled for the overnight runs.
Winnipeggers can also register for an automated phone and email notification system, which will give them daily updates on mosquito control activities — and if you don’t want fogging to take place on your property, you can, as in past years, register as a buffer zone.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, buffer zone applications can’t be handled in person, and must be submitted via an online service request at 311, an email to 311@winnipeg.ca, a fax to 311, or in writing to the Insect Control Branch.
A list of the areas scheduled to be fogged is available on the city’s website.