Fairfax, a town in California’s Bay Area, has temporarily closed the playground at Peri Park after a significant flea infestation was found. The closure matters because the town must resolve a public-health concern while complying with its longstanding ban on pesticide use on public property.

The playground was expected to remain closed for about two weeks while officials considered a pesticide-free treatment plan; local reports said steam treatment of the sandbox was planned, with reopening targeted for 7 August. Parents had reported children returning with flea bites, and officials advised residents to avoid the area and check dogs for fleas; the infestation was reportedly linked to nearby raccoons.