STATE OFFICIALS ARE DOING AERIAL SURVEYS OF FORESTED AREAS TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE FROM THE LATEST BARK BEETLE INFESTATION. DAN WARE WITH THE STATE FORESTRY DIVISION SAYS BARK BEETLES HIT HARD A DECADE AGO FOLLOWING A PROLONGED DROUGHT…AND THE SAME THING'S HAPPENING NOW. WARE SAYS AFTER YEARS OF NEARLY UNPRECEDENTED DROUGHT, THE TREES ARE STRESSED AND MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INSECTS AND DISEASE.
WARE TELLS 770 KKOB IF A LOT OF TREES DIE, THAT COULD INCREASE THE FIRE DANGER IN NEW MEXICO'S FORESTS IF WE GO THROUGH ANOTHER DRY PERIOD.
