An invasive insect, about half the size of a penny, is devastating California's iconic oak trees.
It is called the Goldspotted oak borer (GSOB), and the little bug has already destroyed 80,000 oak trees in California.
L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath told KNX News' Emily Valdez, "We have identified this bug in the Santa Clarita and unincorporated Chatsworth areas, which is just 14 miles from reaching what we know to be the rich oak forest in our Santa Monica mountains."
[iframe https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d20403.00672486753!2d-118.95239967944862!3d34.1203333088594!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x80e83bc048a70ac7%3A0x371be7dd88d2de47!2sSanta%20Monica%20Mountains!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1716944262930!5m2!1sen!2sus allowfullscreen="" height="450" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" style="border:0" width="600"]The County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is so concerned about the situation it's considering declaring a state of emergency over it.
"This is certainly a threat to our entire Santa Monica Mountains region, the biodiversity, and all of these areas that we protect in our environment and are so precious and unique to Los Angeles County. So that's why we are investing as much as we can," Horvath said.
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County workers are out inspecting trees, trying to prevent the bug from spreading, and tracking firewood coming into the state, as it is believed the infestation made its way to California from Arizona by hitching a ride on a shipment of wood.
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