Officials urge caution as another tree found with Dutch elm disease

The City of Regina has confirmed its fifth case of Dutch elm disease this year.

Elm trees make up 45 per cent of the city’s tree population, and the city is urging residents to help protect these valuable trees by buying and burning local firewood, and reminding them that it is illegal to store or transport elm firewood.

“Buy your wood local, burn it local, but don’t move that firewood in and out of the city,” Russell Eirich, manager of horticulture, pest control and forestry for the city, said earlier this month. “You can bring in Dutch elm disease.”

Communities surrounding Regina like Fort Qu’appelle, Indian Head and Regina Beach have seen a lot of Dutch elm disease, said Eirich, and he doesn’t want to see it spread.

Once infected with the disease, a tree’s leaves will wilt, turn yellow and then brown. Unlike when this happens naturally in the fall, the leaves will stick to the branches instead of tumbling to the ground.

Eirich said Regina averages around five or six cases of Dutch elm disease each year.

Residents are also being asked to hold off on pruning elm trees until September to help stop the disease from spreading.

If you see an elm tree that might be infected, you can call Service Regina at 306-777-7000, and a tree inspector will come out to look at it.