The City of Edmonton has warned people of the potential impacts of Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer to Edmonton’s urban forest if they bring in firewood into the city. If people plan on camping or doing leisure activities this summer, the City of Edmonton said they should not bring firewood back to the city from other communities. It added it is essential to prevent the spread of pests that could devastate about half of its boulevard and open space trees. “The main way that both Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer spread is through the transportation of firewood from other areas with infestations,” said City of Edmonton senior scientist Mike Jenkins in a Tuesday press release. “Bringing firewood from other regions puts much of Edmonton’s urban forest at risk, including most tree-lined streets in mature neighbourhoods.”The City of Edmonton encouraged people who have brought firewood to the city to bring it to their local Eco Station for immediate disposal or burn it. It said there have been no confirmed emerald ash borer cases in Alberta, but it has been found in Vancouver and Winnipeg and as close as South Dakota. Edmonton has one of the largest concentrations of American elms in the world. Dutch elm disease has been discovered throughout the St. Lawrence Valley in Quebec and in Winnipeg. In Alberta, two isolated cases of Dutch elm disease in Wainwright in 1998 and Lethbridge in 2020 were discovered and eradicated. Emerald ash borer is difficult to detect in the early stages of its growth and infestation. However, the signs of it are similar to those of drought stress.Trees affected by Dutch elm disease display signs like brown and wilted leaves that do not fall. They might have drooping or yellow leaves in the summer and individual branches with no leaves or smaller ones than the rest of the tree.The City of Edmonton has worked to complete an external visual inventory of ash and elm trees located on private properties and inform residents at them about steps they can take to identify and protect them. Anyone who suspects trees have suspected symptoms of Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borers should contact 311 or the City of Edmonton’s online reporting service.
