00:00Tumbleweeds are burying neighborhoods in Billings, Montana, and they can cause some
00:06serious problems. It looks wild, but tumbleweeds aren't just a western cliché.
00:10They're actually an invasive plant species. Most tumbleweeds come from a
00:14Russian thistle, a plant brought to the US in the late 1800s. It thrives in dry,
00:19windy climates, especially after drought. Once the plant dries out, it breaks off
00:25at the base and lets the wind do the rest, spreading thousands of seeds as it
00:29rolls. That's why one windy day can turn empty fields into clogged roads, blocked
00:34driveways, and even fire hazards. So what can you do? Keeping lots trimmed and
00:39removing dead plants early can help slow their spread. Some communities also use
00:44fencing or barriers to stop tumbleweeds from piling up, and when roads or homes
00:47are threatened, public works or fire departments may need to step in. They may
00:52look harmless, but tumbleweeds can quickly become a serious problem when the weather
00:55and the wind team up. For AccuWeather, I'm meteorologist Tony Laubach.
00:59World of War.
01:05hit
01:06and hit
01:08and hit
01:11and hit
Comments