USFS to fight wildfires by clearing dead and diseased trees in California
PLACER COUNTY - The US Forest Service is working on a new initiative to help fight wildfires.
Their effort comes following a recent survey that found California's forests are on the decline. The agency reports more than 36 million trees died in 2022. That includes trees on 2.6 million acres across the state. Placer County had the greatest number, with more than 3 million dead trees.
Forest experts blame it on three years of severe drought, overgrown forest conditions, insect outbreaks, and disease. The USDA is now working to clear out dead and diseased trees via additional funding through the new federal infrastructure bill.
"We are trying to leverage that with a lot of different partners, state, private, tribal -- all kind of people to try and do this on the landscape in the right places, at scale," said USDA Forest Service representative Jefferey Moroe.
The initiative is a part of a 10-year plan to combat high-intensity wildfires. The agency has also selected five new landscapes in January to receive funding. Among them is Placer County.
