- Attack of the..tumbleweeds? It's true.
Californians have to deal with a lot. From raging, burning wildfires to drought, earthquakes and more, it’s a wonder what will happen to them next.
And then there’s the tumbleweeds. North of LA, about 60 miles, Victorville California has been overrun with tumbleweeds. They fill the streets and are stacking up against the houses, so high and thick that people are having to call 911 to help them.
“We’re not exactly sure how many homes are affected, but we’re estimating about 100 to 150 homes in that area,” Sue Jones, city spokesperson, has said.
It’s not that tumbleweeds are a new problem or something that the area hasn’t dealt with in the past, it’s just so much right now.
“Normally you get a few flying down the street or whatnot, but never this many that will stack up even this much, and this is mild compared to what it was actually in the backyard and in the front of the house,” resident Tanya Speight was quoted as saying. “So no, it’s never been this bad.”
Victorville neighborhood overrun by tumbleweeds! @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/pFzxZIIIQ4
— Tina Patel (@tina_patel) April 17, 2018
Trucks have been dispatched per the city’s code enforcement to come and haul away all the tumbleweeds. The wind is adversely affecting the situation and even as the crews clear the tumbleweeds, the wind blows more right back.
Local real estate broker, Bryan Bagwell told the Washington Post. “It’s a nasty nightmare.”
Tumbleweeds start as the ground plant, Russian thistle, and then become dried and blow away. Russian thistle is an invasive species that was brought to the area in South Dakota in 1873. Since then, it has spread to some 100 million acres.
Victorville isn’t the only city being invaded by tumbleweeds. It turns out Eagle Mountain, Utah, has a severe problem with the vegetation, or better yet its remains, too. The city provided a drop-off site so that its residents could bring their tumbleweeds for disposal.