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California Drought Has Sacramento Tree Leaves Dropping Like It's Fall In August

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The calendar may say August, but in some parts of the Sacramento region, it's looking more like October as some trees are already starting to change color.

It's a sound you usually don't hear in mid-August in Sacramento.

MORE INFO: Save Our Trees

"The leaves in the street kinda makes everyone think of hot chocolate and sweaters but it's really a very desperate signal from our trees," said Kelly Conroy with the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

The colors and conditions usually don't show up until October when the weather gets cooler. A tupelo tree with bright red leaves last week in Rancho Cordova is bare now.

"It's August right now and there are some trees that are in full fall color just ready to shut down for the rest of the year," Conroy said. "This early dormancy is just a sign that these trees are under really severe stress. It means this is their last attempt to survive and if we don't take action now, those trees could die, we could lose them forever."

Bill Myrick has already lost several trees in his front yard, and he's having a hard time keeping the remaining ones alive.

"The drought is just killing everything," he said.

At this rate, the tree foundation says when fall does arrive next month, it could look more like winter.

"It could mean we will have a lot of trees that are bare before the temperature drops in the fall, we could have some pretty naked trees really early," Conroy said.

If trees are showing early signs of fall, the foundation recommends a slow soak method to bring them back up to speed before it's' too late.

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