On this page
- Where has emerald ash borer turned up in Texas?
- How quickly does it kill an ash?
- What signs should you look for on your ash?
- How many ash trees are there around here?
- What should you do about an ash in your Forney yard?
- Why does it matter where ash firewood goes?
- Does the state quarantine cover Kaufman County?
- What does taking down an ash cost?
Where has emerald ash borer turned up in Texas?
The Forest Service's EAB page, last modified Aug. 20, 2026, counts 40 Texas counties with confirmed EAB "as of June 2026." The list includes Dallas, Rockwall, Ellis, Navarro, Collin, Tarrant, Denton, Hopkins and Delta. Kaufman County is not on it, and neither are Van Zandt, Hunt or Henderson (checked Nov 14, 2026).
| When | Where it was confirmed |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Harrison County, the first in Texas |
| May 2022 | Dallas County, trapped in the Carrollton and Coppell area |
| July 15, 2025 | Rockwall County, Kaufman County's northern neighbor, in a release that also added Jack, Navarro, Somervell and Bell counties |
| June 2026 | 40 counties on the Forest Service list; Kaufman not among them |
Which counties border Kaufman comes from the Census Bureau's county adjacency file: Rockwall, Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Van Zandt and Henderson. Hunt, Van Zandt and Henderson aren't on the EAB list (checked Nov 14, 2026).
How quickly does it kill an ash?
Fast, by the Forest Service's account. "Once an ash tree is infested with EAB, it is likely it will die," its EAB page says, and "In areas where EAB is well established, it can kill an ash tree within one year of the first infestation." Its 2022 Dallas County release said an infested ash may die within two or three years. Nationally, "EAB has killed millions of ash trees across the country" (all checked Nov 14, 2026).
An ash that dies standing is a dead tree like any other. The Forest Service calls standing dead trees "dangerous and unpredictable" and says a tree on your land that falls is your liability (checked Nov 14, 2026).
What signs should you look for on your ash?
The Forest Service's July 2025 release lists these (checked Nov 14, 2026):
- Dead branches near the top of the tree.
- Shoots sprouting from the trunk.
- Splits in the bark, with S-shaped tunnels (galleries) underneath.
- Heavy woodpecker activity.
- D-shaped exit holes in the bark.
A thin crown on its own can have other causes, from drought to root damage; the dead and dying trees page covers those. Several of the signs showing up together tell you more than any one of them alone.
How many ash trees are there around here?
When EAB reached Dallas County in 2022, the Forest Service said ash made up roughly 5% of the Dallas–Fort Worth urban forest (checked Nov 14, 2026). Terrell's zoning code, for one, lists Arizona ash among species it does not recommend "due to problems and nuisance factors" (§34.5.D, Ord. No. 3138, Sept. 30, 2025; checked Nov 14, 2026). Forney's own approved plant list wasn't part of what this site read.
What should you do about an ash in your Forney yard?
- If it's healthy: know which of your trees are ash, and look it over each summer for the signs above.
- If it's dead or clearly failing: plan to take it down before it drops limbs. On a developed single-family lot in Forney, no city permit is needed (Sec. 39a.2.B.3). On land the city's tree section covers, the ordinance says removal of a protected tree "shall be approved" when it is dead, dying or diseased past restoring, and state law (§212.905(h)) generally bars cities from prohibiting removal of a dead or diseased tree (checked Nov 14, 2026).
- If it stands over the house or the lines: treat it like any other hazard tree. The removal guide covers the six-foot line law and how a removal near structures goes.
Why does it matter where ash firewood goes?
The state's advice is short. The Texas Department of Agriculture's EAB page says: "Campers are strongly advised not to transport firewood, but to buy it locally" (checked Nov 14, 2026). If an ash comes down in your yard, use or dispose of the wood close to home instead of carrying it to a campsite or another county.
Does the state quarantine cover Kaufman County?
No. The Texas Department of Agriculture's EAB quarantine (Rule §19.701) took effect April 23, 2021, and now lists 41 counties, including Dallas, Rockwall, Ellis, Navarro, Collin, Hopkins and Delta. Kaufman isn't one of them. The newest additions were Delta on June 15, 2026, Wood on July 8, 2026 and Walker on July 22, 2026, so the list is still growing (checked Nov 14, 2026).
What does taking down an ash cost?
The same as any tree of its height. In HomeGuide's national figures, a tree under 30 feet runs $150 to $500 to remove and one between 30 and 60 feet $300 to $1,000 (checked Nov 14, 2026); grinding the stump and hauling the wood are usually extra. The cost page has the full tables. For a price on your own ash, call (469) 689-1811 or pick "Ash tree concern" on the request form; the request goes to one independent contractor serving Forney and Kaufman County. The Forney rules page has the full tree ordinance.
Sources: Texas A&M Forest Service: emerald ash borer (modified Aug. 20, 2026), July 15, 2025 release, May 18, 2022 Dallas County release, hazardous trees; Texas Department of Agriculture, emerald ash borer; Census Bureau, county adjacency file; Terrell Zoning Code ch. V; Forney Zoning Ordinance, Sec. 39a (posted Apr. 9, 2026); Tex. Local Gov't Code §212.905; HomeGuide. All checked Nov 14, 2026.