Fight beetle infestation by not moving oak wood

Federal forest officials are asking residents to avoid moving oak wood around the county as part of their efforts to slow the spread of a tree-killing bug.

The gold-spotted oak borer is a recently detected pest that invades California black oaks, coast live oaks and canyon live oaks in Southern California. It's believed to be responsible for the deaths of 17,000 trees in San Diego County.

Foresters haven't found a way to contain the beetle. They urged people to help limit the insect's movement by using local sources of firewood instead of taking oak firewood into or out of campgrounds and parks. They also asked that people leave unburned wood on-site instead of taking it home.

Not transporting oak firewood is important because the oak borer typically lays its eggs in bark crevices, the U.S. Forest Service said.