Transporting unseasoned firewood from diseased red oaks is a potential means of spreading the oak wilt fungus. Oak wilt cannot be transmitted by burning infected firewood, but fungal mats may form on unseasoned firewood in storage. Presently, no vectors have been proven to transmit the fungus from live oaks to other oak trees, but diseased wood from any oak species should never be stored near healthy oak trees unless precautions are taken. It is best to purchase wood that has been thoroughly dried for at least one full year.  If firewood from diseased trees is stored near healthy oak trees, it should be covered with clear plastic with the edges buried to prevent insects from leaving the pile.

***   All wounding of oaks (including pruning) should be avoided from February through June.

 The least hazardous periods for pruning are during the coldest days in midwinter and extended hot periods in mid- to late summer. Regardless of season, all pruning cuts or other wounds to oak trees, including freshly-cut stumps and damaged surface roots, should be treated immediately with a wound or latex paint to prevent

FORT HOOD (GlobeSt) – Ground has broken on the $534 million Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, which will replace the existing 45-year-old healthcare facility of the same name.

Construction on the 947,000-sf facility is slated to begin in April on the site of the old Fort Hood stadium. It will be nearly 60 percent larger than the current facility and will include a six-story hospital tower, three out-patient clinic buildings and three parking garages.

Balfour Beatty Construction and McCarthy Building Companies have partnered to build the facility with design assistance from HKS Architects and Wingler & Sharp.

The facility will be designed to meet USGBC LEED Gold certification requirements.

Currently, the hospital serves roughly 45,000 soldiers and nearly 125,000 family members and retirees within a 40-mile radius.

It is expected to be open by 2015.