Kern County Fire is stepping up efforts to remove millions of trees that have died from the drought or beetle infestations. Forester Jeff Gletne told Supervisors today [tue] they’re using a new infusion of state money to remove a “mess” of trees from about 500 acres in Bear Valley Springs that could fall onto county-maintained roads and hit someone. Gletne estimates the cost of removing just one tree is about $500, but says $541-thousand in newly-available state matching funds is letting the county access $2.1-million in grants under the California Disaster Assistance Act.

Suzanne Grant