A flock of quail, guinea fowl, ducks and chickens tested positive for bird flu in Franklin County last week, according to Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (AAFM).

The owners of the flock notified state officials on Dec. 18, after one of their birds died suddenly and others became sick.

State officials tested the birds the next day, and a laboratory in Iowa later confirmed the birds had contracted highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1 bird flu.

It’s the fourth instance of avian flu in a domestic flock in Vermont since spring 2022.

“The recent cases are sort of tied to the migratory bird population moving around,” said Scott Waterman, a spokesperson for AAFM.

Importantly, Waterman said, lab testing also confirmed that this latest set of cases are not tied to the flu strain currently impacting dairy herds in other states.

However, the agency is urging people who own poultry and cattle to take precautions to limit their animals’ contact with wild birds.

“That’s where the wild bird-HPAI crossover happens, is when your domestic poultry start to interact with the wild bird population,” Waterman said.

He said domestic birds can catch the virus if they congregate with wild birds at a pond or if they have contact with the feces of wild birds.

Waterman said people can limit their animals’ risk of contracting the virus by cleaning coops regularly, fencing poultry in and taking care to quarantine cattle and birds that arrive from another farm.

It’s also important, he said, to wash and sterilize boots and clothing that’s come into contact with other animals.

Bird flu is deadly for most domestic poultry, and much of the Franklin County flock died from the disease. AAFM worked with the owners to euthanize the remaining birds.

The Vermont Department of Health is monitoring people who had close contact with the infected birds. At this time, no humans have tested positive for the disease in Vermont or in New England.

The Health Department said the risk of a human contracting bird flu in Vermont is low, but officials still advise wearing personal protective equipment if you work with bird or cattle feces, litter or raw milk.

You can find more information about bird flu in humans on the Health Department’s website.

Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message.

The 2024-2025 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

►Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter:@aabrami5.

►Contact Judith Altneu at jaltneu@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.

SATURDAY, DEC. 28

Boys basketball

Games at 2:30 p.m. unless noted

Middlebury at Mill River, 1:30 p.m.

Oxbow at Arlington, 2:30 p.m.

Girls basketball

Games at 2:30 p.m. unless noted

Winooski at Northfield, noon

U-32 at Lyndon, 1:30 p.m.

Blue Mountain at Woodsville, NH

Williamstown at Vergennes, 3:30 p.m.

Boys hockey

Harwood at Rutland, 11 a.m. 

Rice at Saranac, NY, noon

Champlain Valley at Mount Mansfield, 3 p.m.

St. Johnsbury at Colchester, 5 p.m. 

South Burlington at Spaulding, 5:15 p.m. 

Burlington at North Country, 7 p.m. 

Woodstock at Missisquoi, 8 p.m. 

Middlebury Tournament

Essex vs. Stowe, 3 p.m. 

U-32 at Middlebury, 7 p.m. 

Philippe H. Bouthillier Holiday Classic

Consolation, 4 p.m.

Championship, 6 p.m. 

Girls hockey

Champlain Valley/Mount Mansfield at Rice, 1:15 p.m.

Rutland at Kingdom Blades, 3 p.m. 

Spaulding at Missisquoi, 5:30 p.m. 

Stowe at Woodstock, 6:45 p.m. 

Middlebury Tournament

Harwood vs. U-32, 1 p.m. 

Burr & Burton at Middlebury, 5 p.m. 

Hanover Tournament

BFA-St. Albans vs. TBD

Essex vs. TBD

Gymnastics 

Harwood at South Burlington, 11 a.m. 

St. Johnsbury at Essex, 1 p.m. 

Burlington, Montpelier at Burr & Burton, 3:30 p.m. 

Wrestling 

Hubie Wagner tournament at Middlebury 

MONDAY, DEC. 30

Boys basketball

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

St. Johnsbury at Burlington, 7 p.m. (Sunday)

Richford at Northfield

Essex at Rutland, 6:30 p.m.

Williamstown at Stowe

Lyndon at U-32

Lamoille at Harwood

North Country at Spaulding

Lake Region at Enosburg

Winooski at Missisquoi

Vergennes at Twinfield/Cabot

Mount Mansfield at Champlain Valley

South Burlington at Rice

Oxbow at Blue Mountain

Colchester at BFA-St. Albans, 7:30 p.m.

Girls basketball

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Mount Abraham at Montpelier

South Burlington at Colchester

Middlebury at Harwood

Boys hockey

Hartford at Rutland, 1 p.m. 

St. Johnsbury at Brattleboro, 3 p.m. 

Woodstock at Burr & Burton, 5 p.m. 

Spaulding at CVU, 5:25 p.m. 

South Burlington at North Country, 6 p.m. 

Stowe at Mount Mansfield, 6:30 p.m. 

Girls hockey

U-32 at Rutland, 11 a.m. 

Harwood at Champlain Valley/Mount Mansfield, 3:15 p.m. 

Essex at Burlington/Colchester, 4:20 p.m. 

Brattleboro at Stowe, 6:30 p.m. 

Kingdom Blades at Missisquoi, 7:15 p.m. 

Rice at Woodstock, 7:15 p.m. 

Gymnastics 

Montpelier, Middlebury at Harwood, 6:30 p.m. 

(Subject to change)

JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. (WCAX) – Despite warm temperatures on the way, skiers and snowboarders are celebrating the snow this holiday weekend. Our Calvin Cutler has a look at the conditions and the future of Vermont’s independent resorts.

If you ask just about anyone why they visit the Smugglers’ Notch Resort, you’ll likely get two answers: the conditions on and off the trail, and the local vibe, being one of the last independent ski resorts in Vermont.

Skiers and riders were swinging into the holiday weekend on ski lifts Friday, taking advantage of an early winter bluebird day to get in a few turns with friends and family.

“A little icy in some spots, but the sun warmed it up and it’s nice now,” said Tosh Moser of Cambridge.

Smuggs received about half a foot of fresh snow this week, allowing them to open 44 trails and their Madonna II lift in time for the crucial holiday weekend.

But temperatures are expected to rise this weekend which could melt away conditions.

“We’ve seen a great start to the season this year, better than last, especially this time last year, so we should be able to fare just fine,” said Caleb Kessler, the social media manager at the Smugglers’ Notch Resort.

As one of the last locally owned resorts in Vermont, Smuggs is an outlier in the ski industry which is undergoing consolidation, as big companies like Vail and Alterra buy up local resorts and pump in cash for new amenities and big infrastructure upgrades, like new snowguns that allow resorts to open earlier and close later. It’s sparking concern from many small American ski towns that their history and culture are fading away.

“You go to some of the bigger company-owned resorts, it’s different people, everything is different there,” said Wyatt McAdoo of Cambridge.

Last year, news of Smuggs considering a first-of-its-kind gondola to the Stowe Mountain Resort reverberated through the ski and ride community. The plan has since been scrapped.

Despite the corporate headwinds, Smuggs is sending the message that its size, culture and vibe set it apart.

“Being small and independent allows us to make decisions more quickly, more easily, be more nimble and gives us our personality as a resort,” Kessler said.

Despite the rain and warmer temperatures in the forecast, skiers and riders at Smuggs are hoping for a long season ahead.

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