Plumas-Eureka State Park campground closed due to elevated plague riskFeather Publishing8/19/2010
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has
recommended that Plumas-Eureka State Park Campground be temporarily closed due to an
elevated risk of the plague. The level of risk was determined after CDPH sampled the park
following the discovery of a plague-positive dead rodent.
The temporary closure will remain until further notice from the CDPH; however the park
is hopeful that the campground will reopen prior to the Labor Day weekend.
Plague is a bacterial disease found in wild rodents that can be transmitted to humans
through the bite of infected fleas. Plague is naturally occurring in rodents, such as chipmunks
and squirrels, in the Sierra Nevada area. However, sometimes when rodent populations are
concentrated, the risk can become elevated and a plague outbreak occurs.
State Park staff in Sierra campgrounds are trained to watch for diseased and sick
rodents, or other indicators of plague and have been monitoring campground rodent
Plague outbreaks at Plumas-Eureka State Park have occurred, with a case of human
transmission in the 1970’s. Additionally, the park campground was closed due to a plague
outbreak in rodents in the summers of 1992 and 1993 based on CDPH recommendations.
For further inquiry please contact the State Department of Public Health, Reserve
America, and California State Parks.