Ensenada will send crews into the Montemar neighborhood Saturday, June 14, to collect bulk trash as part of a public health campaign targeting tick-borne disease. Mayor Claudia Agatón Muñiz announced the special operation, which begins at 8 a.m.
Residents along six designated streets are asked to place large items curbside before crews arrive. The streets included in the pickup are Calle Manatí, Calle Tortuga, Calle Orca, Calle Ciervo, Calle Cimarrón, and Calle Antílope. Accepted items include old furniture, carpets, mattresses, rubble, and similar debris.
Tick-Borne Disease Drives the Cleanup
The collection is not routine. City officials are specifically targeting the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which can transmit rickettsiosis, a serious bacterial infection also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The disease can be fatal if untreated, and Baja California has reported recurring outbreaks in recent years, particularly in Mexicali and parts of Ensenada.
Abandoned furniture, piled rubble, and overgrown yards create ideal habitats for tick populations. The city is asking Montemar residents and those in surrounding areas to thoroughly clean patios and front yards to eliminate those breeding grounds.
What Montemar Residents Need to Know
Montemar sits in the eastern portion of Ensenada, inland from the coast. Property owners who rent out homes in the area should coordinate with tenants to ensure items are placed on the curb before 8 a.m. Saturday. The city has not announced whether additional neighborhoods will receive similar cleanup operations in coming weeks.
Rickettsiosis symptoms include high fever, headache, rash, and muscle pain. The disease is treated with antibiotics but can become life-threatening within days if ignored. Pet owners should also check dogs for ticks regularly, as the brown dog tick lives primarily on canines and in the areas around homes where dogs rest.
The announcement was first reported by Ensenada.net.