Flea outbreak forces Fairfax firefighters to abandon temporary station

A large flea problem that started at Fairfax's Peri Park playground in late July moved to a temporary fire station used by the Ross Valley Fire Department. Firefighters had been operating out of a building near Station 21 during renovations when the infestation was discovered, forcing them to shift operations to Station 20 in Sleepy Hollow, roughly a mile distant. The town initially tried a non-toxic steam treatment due to a local ordinance prohibiting pesticides, but later authorized chemical use after the Fairfax Council granted an exception in early August.

While 911 service continues uninterrupted, response times to Fairfax may increase while crews are stationed outside the town. The playground partially reopened, and the council unanimously approved another pesticide exemption to treat the interior of the fire station.