CAMARILLO : 5th Medfly Spraying Called a Success
State and federal agriculture officials said Wednesday that they have successfully completed the fifth aerial application of malathion over eastern Camarillo in the battle to stop the crop-destroying Medfly.
The now familiar trio of helicopters lifted off from Camarillo Airport at 10 p.m. Tuesday and completed the spraying mission in about four hours, said Larry Hawkins, a spokesman for the Cooperative Medfly Project.
“The weather held and we encountered no problems,” Hawkins said.
Before the flight, agriculture officials said they were worried that winds would stay above 10 m.p.h. and that the potential for rain was in the forecast.
State regulations prevent the spraying of pesticides in winds exceeding 10 m.p.h. or when there is a 50% or greater chance of rain in the spray zone less than 24 hours after an application.
The next spraying of the 16-square-mile Medfly eradication zone is scheduled for 10 p.m. Dec. 27, Hawkins said.
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