Ventura Agricultural Commissioner applies for grant to remove dead trees

VENTURA, Calif. - The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner has sent a request to Cal FIRE for a grant which would help pay for the removal of dead and diseased trees throughout the county.

The trees have been infected by Invasive Shot Hole Borers which weaken and eventually kill the tree.

According to Ventura County, The Invasive Shot Hole Borer is a wood-boring beetle that attacks many tree species in Southern California. Both urban and wild trees are susceptible to the bug.

These dead and dying trees increase the fire hazard in the county by contributing to the already dry vegetation that is common during fire season.

“Since dead and dying trees are a concern for fire, and since our county has already suffered through significant wildfires in the last three years, this grant is critical for our county”, said Ed Williams, Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner. 

The CAL FIRE grant would offer $596,064 toward the removal and disposal of infected trees.

Ventura County said the State of California has provided $5 million to Cal FIRE to support counties in the removal of dead or diseased trees to help manage the increasing fire hazards across the state.