The lethal combination of drought, heat and an infestation of ravenous bark beetles has killed 26 million trees in the Sierra Nevada since October, an “unprecedented” die-off that heightens an already high wildfire risk, officials said Wednesday.
The new estimate by the U.S. Forest Service brings the loss of trees to at least 66 million since 2010 — a problem that grew worse despite an average winter of rain and snow that brought some relief to urban Californians.
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