By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-31 18:17:06 | Updated at 2026-08-11 16:38:12
1 week ago
A Bay Area town that banned pesticides has had to shut down a playground after it was found to be infested with fleas, horrifying parents.
Fairfax, near San Francisco, banned the use of pesticides in town in 2001, but now the town has had to temporarily close Peri Park playground after a flea infestation was found hiding in the mulch, ABC 7 reported.
The park is expected to stay closed for at least a few weeks, according to flyers circulated by town authorities near the park.
Public Works Director Kristin Arnold told the San Francisco Chronicle that the town is evaluating treatment options made more complicated by the pesticide ordinance.
The only way for town officials to use pesticides on the park is for the town council to vote two-thirds in favor of an emergency exemption. There also has to be no other reasonable alternative for the exemption to be made.
'We recognize that Peri Park playground is a beloved gathering place, and we appreciate the community’s patience while we address this issue,' the town said.
It is believed the infestation originates from a pack of raccoons nearby, ABC 7 reported.
Workers were seen sealing off an access point so that the raccoons could leave but not return, the outlet reported.
Peri Park in Fairfax, California, has been temporarily closed due to a flea infestation
Kristin Raymaker is in favor of the temporarily closure to protect her three-year-old child. The town's ordinance does not allow officials to use pesticides to get rid of the fleas
Fairfax Building Official Mark Lockaby said the town would more than likely be using a 'company that steam cleans everything.'
'They'll steam all the sand and chips, and that's supposed to kill the fleas,' he told ABC 7.
Parents are in support of closing the park temporarily to protect their children.
'We have a three-year-old and we definitely want to avoid fleas if we can,' Kristin Raymaker told ABC 7.
'It's really scary,' Debra Zibitt, who is a grandparent, told the outlet. 'I'm afraid little children will go in there. It'll hurt their legs.'
The infestation could be affected by the weather, as the summer heats up, officials in Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District told the outlet.
'Because of our humidity, things get warm, and it's a good environment for fleas to expand their terrain and increase their numbers quickly,' District Manager Peter Bonkrude said.
It is hoped the park could reopen on August 7 if mitigation efforts are successful. The town is looking into getting rid of the fleas using steam (stock image)
It is hoped the park could reopen on August 7.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Town of Fairfax for comment.
