More than half the trees on Sunnyside in Idaho Falls affected by fire blight
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IDAHO FALLS — More than half of the 450 trees on Sunnyside Road are suffering from an infection after the large hail storms earlier this summer.
The bacterium plaguing the trees is called Erwinia amylovora, or fire blight. Certain fruit trees can catch this disease through damaged or weathered bark. Idaho Falls spokesman Bud Cranor said the trees became scraped and cut after multiple hailstorms in the last few months.
“From what our city arborist explained to me, it usually happens when you have a really wet season, which is what we had this spring,” Cranor said.
Fire blight typically affects fruit trees like the ones along Sunnyside, which are chanticleer pear trees, snow crab apples and red-leaf crab apples. Signs of the blight can include blackened fruit, scorched leaves or a tan bacterial ooze from areas of dead tree bark. (Cranor said the pear trees aren’t fruit bearing.) The name fire blight comes from the scorched look of the trees affected, according to the University of Idaho Extension office.
The bacteria associated with the blight is usually compartmentalized, Cranor said, and the tree continues to grow around the affected area. Luckily, he said this blight is not something that will kill the trees although it has caused damage. He said infected branches were trimmed.
“The good thing is they recover, and it’s treatable,” Cranor said.
Cranor said the trees have been being treated with streptomycin, an antibiotic, for several weeks. It’s unknown when they will fully recuperate.
“They’re already seeing signs of recovery in the trees. Our arborist said he’s already been seeing new growth where it’d been damaged,” Cranor said.
Cranor said if people are experiencing similar symptoms with their own trees, they can go to a plant nursery and follow recommendations from professionals.
“We have arborists in the city. Trees are a really valuable part of our city, and they beautify it and they help increase property values, so we try to take good care of those trees,” Cranor said.