A parking area in Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park has been shut down by plague connected to a prairie dog colony.

The unpaved, overflow parking lot at the park, 15600 W. Morrison Road, has been closed the past week, according to a Lakewood media release.

Jefferson County Public Health confirmed the presence of plague in the popular park. Crews have dusted prairie dog holes in the area to kill fleas, which carry and transmit the plague, the release said.

The city is not aware of any humans who have contracted to the plague from the park’s prairie dog colonies.

Park visitors are urged to follow posted directions and closures, and to keep dogs on a leash and away from marked areas.

Plague symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, chills, headache, nausea, extreme pain and swelling of lymph nodes, occurring within two to seven days after exposure. People and pets should avoid all contact with live, sick or dead wild rodents.

Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kierannicholson