Louisiana lawmakers work to address 'silent danger' of thousands of dead and beetle-infested trees

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Dead pine trees, weakened by last summer’s drought and hungry beetles, are a major public safety concern for Louisiana residents, with fears that fragile tree limbs may come crashing down on homes, roads, power lines and businesses without warning, officials say.

As more residents are reaching out to state and local officials asking for guidance and financial help to remove trees from their yards, legislators on Louisiana’s House Emergency Beetle Subcommittee gathered for their first meeting on Tuesday to try to come up with solutions. From directing residents to charitable entities to asking the governor’s help in seeking federal aid, officials say something must be done before there is widespread damage.