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One Third of California's Trees Are Dead (sfgate.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the can't-see-the-forest dept.

"There are about 21 million acres of trees spread across California's 18 national forests, and the latest figures show 7.7 million of them -- more than one-third -- are dead." An anonymous reader quotes the San Francisco Chronicle: California's lingering drought has pushed the number of dead trees across the state past 100 million, an ecological event experts are calling dangerous and unprecedented in underlining the heightened risk of wildfires fueled by bone-dry forests. In its latest aerial survey released Friday, the U.S. Forest Service said 62 million trees have died this year in California, bringing the six-year total to more than 102 million.

Scientists blame five-plus years of drought on the increasing tree deaths -- tree "fatalities" increased by 100 percent in 2016 -- but the rate of their demise has been much faster than expected, increasing the risk of ecologically damaging erosion and wildfires even bigger than the largest blazes the state's seen this year.
An ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey says that on the bright side, this gives scientists a good chance to study how trees die.

6 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. 75% of california's poeple are brain dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    They voted for Clinton, 'nuff said. DPRC (democratic peoples republic of California)

    1. Re:75% of california's poeple are brain dead by haruchai · · Score: -1, Troll

      Wonder what they thought when they found out God's transgender

      --
      Pain is merely failure leaving the body
    2. Re:75% of california's poeple are brain dead by PopeRatzo · · Score: -1, Troll

      At least shut up until he actually takes office

      Trump supporters have a very, shall we say, mutable notion of free speech.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re: 75% of california's poeple are brain dead by PopeRatzo · · Score: -1, Troll

      You've been annoying and obnoxious since long before Trump became a media sensation.

      ArmoredDragon, if you find me annoying and obnoxious, that means I've been doing something right. Thank you for the encouraging words.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  2. Re: Interesting they release these reports on rain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    It is interesting that you appear retarded while sharing your thoughts on what appears to be a mass scale extinction event. Because after trees, everything else follows.

    Do us all a favor. Stop posting horseshit. Shut off your PC and go read a book or a hundred.

  3. AND TRUMP SAYS by JimSadler · · Score: 0, Troll

    The FRANKENTRUMP monster declares that there is no global warming and that the dead trees are a conspiracy brought on by liberals and evil Hillary actually paid many tree to die just to embarrass Trumpenstein.