Treatment Starts For Deadly Citrus Disease In Mission Viejo, City Says

MISSION VIEJO, CA — The California Department of Food and Agriculture issued a proclamation in Mission Viejo this week stating that the agency will be actively surveying and treating areas impacted by a deadly citrus tree disease threatening the region's iconic fruit.

The proclamation comes soon after a quarantine was issued throughout parts of the region — including parts of Mission Viejo, last December.

"While HLB is not harmful to humans, there is no cure and once a citrus tree is infected it will die," City Spokesperson Kelly Tokarski told Patch. "The deadly citrus tree disease is one of the biggest threats to California citrus."

According to Tokarski, residents of affected properties will be invited to a public meeting or contacted directly from California Department of Food and Agriculture staff.

Residents can find the full emergency proclamation on the department's website.

Maps for Treatment Area 1, which includes portions of Mission Viejo, are available through this link.

Additional details, resources and answers to frequently asked questions are available on the CDFA’s site.

Residents can sign up to receive email updates from the CDFA about the issue and call the pest hotline with questions at 800-491-1899.