Public health advisory issued for blue-green algae in Fernan Lake
FERNAN LAKE, Idaho — Another public health advisory has been issued over blue-green algae blooms, this time on Fernan Lake.
Panhandle Health (PHD) and the Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) announced Wednesday that cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, has been observed across the entire lake.
This follows Tuesday’s advisory issued for algae blooms on Hayden Lake, just six miles north of Fernan Lake.
RELATED: Health advisory issued for toxic algae bloom in Hayden Lake
Like that advisory, PHD and DEQ urge people to be careful when visiting the lake, especially if they might accidentally ingest the water. Cyanobacteria in large amounts can produce dangerous toxins.
Anyone who uses Fernan Lake water for consumption or cleaning should hold off—PHD says the toxins in blue-green algae cannot be boiled out of the lake water.
Anywhere the lake water is murky or discolored could indicate the presence of the algae bloom, and PHD says cyanobacteria can spread with wind and water currents. Contact with the algae can be harmful for pets, children, elderly people and anyone with a compromised immune system.
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