According to the State Tree Mortality
Task Force, 27 million trees have died in California since
November 2016, bringing the total number of trees that have died
due to drought and bark beetles to a historic 129 million.
While the number of dead trees has not increased as much
year-to-year as in the past, these trees still pose fall hazards
and wildfire risk. The Tree Morality Task Force effort has
removed more than one million dead trees first focusing on public
safety by removing dead and dying trees in high hazard areas.
