Acadia Parish will conduct an aerial spray operation this week for areas throughout the parish to help reduce the number of mosquitoes in the area.
Officials say the increase in mosquitoes is due to recent rains from tropical weather and the activation of rice and crawfish fields.
The aerial application may begin at 7:00 p.m. and continue until about 1:00 a.m., and should be completed between Wednesday, September 22, and Friday, September 24, weather permitting. If a delay occurs, it will be finished on a subsequent day that's favorable for treatment.
The aerial spray operation is being conducted in response to surveillance findings that indicate increased mosquito populations. Aerial spraying is necessary to combat and control mosquitoes where ground spraying is less accessible and effective.
Vector Disease Control, Inc. (VDCI) will be conducting the aerial spray operation. VDCI will be using multiple twin-engine aircraft flying at an altitude of approximately 300 feet to conduct the aerial application. Each aircraft is equipped with an aerial spray guidance system specifically engineered for mosquito control operations. The planes are able to receive in real-time, meteorological conditions such as temperature, wind speed and wind direction.
"This onboard equipment allows us to optimize the application within the intended treatment areas, while minimizing drift outside the target zone", according to Daniel Markowski, Vice President of VDCI.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires notification to the public when aerial spray operations are to occur.
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