[birbear]

In California, bubonic plague is prevalent among squirrels in the Angeles National Forest and other parks. Health officials regularly warn campers and hikers to take precaution against the disease by avoiding infected animals.

Is there anyway we can blame this on enviromental whackos?

[bd476]

birbear wrote: "Is there anyway we can blame this on enviromental whackos?"

No, sorry. There have been no laws passed protecting ground squirrels, chipmunks or other rodents infested with plague bearing fleas.

As BurbankKarl said here, Southern California has had an increase in rainfall which resulted in an increased rat population.

Sometimes it rains when the clouds above have a volumetric increase in water concurrent with a decrease in atmospheric barometric pressure.