McHenry County joins ash borer quarantine

McHenry County as of today is included in an 18-county quarantine zone to prevent further spread of the emerald ash borer.

Detections of the tree-killing pest in LaSalle and DuPage counties, far outside previous quarantine boundaries, prompted the Illinois Department of Agriculture to expand the zone.

The quarantine forbids removal of all or parts of ash trees from the quarantine area, as well as items made from or containing ash tree wood, and all cut, non-coniferous firewood.

The imported pest has not yet been sighted in McHenry County. Kane County, where sightings have abounded, was part of the original quarantine.