A bird flu case in Kittitas County prompted warnings from state officials urging flock owners to protect their birds.

• Bird flu confirmed in Kittitas County backyard flock | king5.com

Author: Bethany Henderson

Published: 6:37 PM PDT October 10, 2026

Updated: 11:09 PM PDT October 10, 2026

KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash. — A case of avian influenza was confirmed in a small backyard flock in Kittitas County, prompting warnings for bird owners to take precautions as migrating birds move through Washington.

The positive case was confirmed Friday, Oct. 9 in a flock of mixed backyard birds near Ellensburg, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). 

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Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious virus that can spread among birds and pose a serious risk to backyard poultry and commercial flocks.

How to protect backyard birds

State officials are urging flock owners to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection, particularly as wild birds migrate through the region.

Recommended precautions include:

• Keeping domestic birds away from wild waterfowl and areas where they gather, including lakes, ponds and irrigation canals.
• Keeping birds inside coops or under covered enclosures.
• Cleaning up spilled feed and keeping food and water covered.
• Limiting visitors to poultry areas.
• Washing hands thoroughly after handling birds, eggs or equipment.
• Wearing dedicated shoes and clothing when caring for birds.
• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting boots, tools and cages.
• Avoiding direct contact with sick or dead birds.

People who work with or handle potentially infected animals should use appropriate personal protective equipment.

Health officials also advised against consuming uncooked or undercooked food products, including unpasteurized milk and raw-milk cheeses. These products should also not be fed to pets.

Surveillance zone established

Flock owners within six miles, or 10 kilometers, of the confirmed detection fall within a surveillance zone. Residents near the site of detection can check to see whether their property falls within the surveillance zone using this interactive map.

Owners in the area should remain alert for signs of illness or unexplained deaths among their birds and follow guidance from state agricultural officials.

Anyone who notices unexplained illness or deaths in backyard poultry should contact the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Sick Bird Hotline at 1-800-606-3056 or submit a report online at WSDA’s Sick Bird Reporting page.

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People who find dead wild birds should not touch or handle them. Suspected cases can be reported through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s online reporting tool.

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A very important day is approaching for wolves and one is directly related to our previous win in district court against USFWS’s failure to relist the gray wolf in the Northern Rockies.

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On Tuesday, October 13, beginning at 9:30am. three important wolf-related cases are scheduled to be heard before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Missoula, Montana and are open to the public.

 CASE 1: MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES
With fewer than 400 Mexican gray wolves living in the wild in the United States, every wolf matters. Conservationists are appealing a ruling involving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) designation of the Mexican gray wolf population as a nonessential experimental population under the Endangered Species Act.

 CASE 2: NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS GRAY WOLVES
Trap Free Montana and numerous conservation plaintiffs prevailed in federal district court, August 2025, in a challenge concerning federal protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. In USFWS’s denial to relist the gray wolves, the court then ordered them back to the drawing board and to apply the best available science. USFWS is appealing. The coalition that includes Trap Free Montana is represented by the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC). 

 CASE 3: GRAY WOLVES ELSEWHERE
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is appealing a ruling that restored federal Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across much of the contiguous United States outside the Northern Rocky Mountain population where they are delisted and are aggressively managed.

These cases have important implications for wolf conservation and the future of federal protections.

 JOIN US IN MISSOULA!
Russell E. Smith Federal Courthouse
201 E. Broadway St.
Room 300
Missoula, Montana

 Tuesday, October 13, 2026
 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time

We look forward to seeing our supporters on Tuesday in Missoula at the hearing! Please be sure to say, ‘hello” and introduce yourself.

Can’t make it in person? You can stream the live court broadcast directly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFUJrpU91EI

 Help spread the word!
Wolves need our voices. Their future matters.

Also, please be advised, there was no wolf hearing on October 6th in Montana in Thompson Falls. Had there been, Trap Free Montana, and the other initial intervenors, would have been involved regarding Outdoor Heritage Coalition, Fielder, Maness etc. vs Montana FWP and Commission. The complaint being, they are not killing enough wolves. Stay tuned.

The October 6, 2026 meeting was merely a scheduling conference and our attorneys, like the rest, participated over zoom. This meeting simply sets dates, a time line, and deadlines for legal proceedings of cases. 

When important things happen, Trap Free Montana is involved, and we keep you informed.

Feel free to reach out with any questions and we will do our best to get back to you asap. We have multiple irons in the fire currently, so your patience is greatly appreciated.
406-218-1170
info@trapfreemt.org

  Thank you!


KC York, president, founder and on behalf of the board of directors.

DONATIONS are tax-deductible to Trap Free Montana and are greatly appreciated.