Aerial spraying to combat West Nile-infected mosquitoes scheduled in Tri-Cities

The Benton County Mosquito Control District will use an airplane Monday evening to spray areas in Richland, Kennewick and West Richland where mosquitoes have a high potential to spread the West Nile virus.

Spraying typically starts at or after sunset, but times can vary.

In Kennewick spraying will be done in the Zintel Canyon area from 10th Avenue south past West 27th Avenue.

Spraying could be done widely in south Richland, according to a map posted by the district.

It shows an area to be sprayed that stretches from north of Columbia Park Trail to south of Claybell Park. It also includes some area along Keene Road.

Spraying also is planned at Columbia Point and Chamna Reserve in Richland.

In West Richland spraying is planned from between the Twin Bridges and to the south, areas west of Harrington Road, East Baker Drive to the north, and the Yakima River to the east.

Spraying also will be done south of Grandview.

Spraying routes may be updated until 4:30 p.m. Monday. If there is too much wind, spraying will not be done.

Check the fogging map at https://bit.ly/July31fogging for any changes.

It takes up to 20 minutes for the chemical dropped from an airplane to drift to the ground, so people who see the plane flying overhead have time to go indoors.

The chemical used, naled, breaks down within hours of application, reducing any long-term effects on the environment, according to the mosquito control district.

Aerial spraying for adult mosquitoes also was done May 25 and June 3, according to a district schedule.

The fogging on Monday was planned after a mosquito infected with the West Nile virus was found this month on private property near homes in south Richland. The mosquito district released a general location between the Badger Mountain Trailhead and the Safeway on Gage Boulevard.

It was the first infected mosquito found this year in the Tri-Cities, although infected mosquitoes earlier had been found just over the Benton County line at the Grandview Sewage Lagoons in Yakima County.

The West Nile virus can be spread to people and horses through the bite of an infected mosquito.

This story was originally published July 30, 2023 at 5:00 AM.