Mosquito fogging begins Sunday night in Winnipeg

The City of Winnipeg begins fogging for mosquitoes Sunday night for the first time since 2010.

The Public Works Department's Insect Control Branch said it has used other methods to battle the increasing number of mosquitoes this year, such as larviciding and residual treatments, but population counts are getting too high for those to be effective on their own.

Saturday citywide trap counts reached 138 mosquitoes, which met the provincial guidelines to start spraying.

The first round of fogging will begin Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and end Monday at 6:30 a.m. Neighbourhoods have been divided in 51 different insect management areas.

People canfind out their area on the city's Insect Control websiteor by calling 311.

Residents who do not want their property sprayed can register with the city. That means crews will not spray within 90metres on each side of abuffer zoneproperty.

Robert-Falcon Ouellette has a buffer zone around his home in south St.Vital.He said he does not want the fogging because it releases dangerouschemicals and pesticides.

"I think if you're killing mosquitoes, it has an effect on human beings," said Ouellette."I want my children to have the best possible life they can have and so if I can help them out by not having them [crews] spray around, this is certainly something that I want to do."

The city said it will announce which areas it will fog at leasteight hoursin advance.

Here are the areas being sprayed on Sunday: