Oregon Public Broadcasting

Authorities are trying to keep an outbreak of Sudden Oak Death from spreading. The fungus kills oak trees and related species. In Curry County, Oregon, 166 acres have been put off-limits to oak tree harvest. Correspondent Anna King reports.

Oregon agriculture officials are fishing the streams and rivers of Curry County with mesh bags filled with rhododendron leaves.

They aren’t trying to catch fish -- instead they are trying to detect the presence of the Sudden Oak Death fungus.

If the leaves appear spotted, then agriculture officials know the fungus is present in that watershed.

Dan Hilburn is with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. He says Sudden Oak Death was first found in Curry County in 2001.

Dan Hilburn: "Even though the impact to Oregon so far has been minimal, the potential impact to the country is enormous. So we are fighting hard to make sure it doesn’t get out and doesn’t spread."

The fungus hasn’t been found in forests outside of Curry County. It has been found in more than 20 nurseries in Oregon and nearly 40 in Washington.