It is caused by the bacteria Erwinia amylovora. Infections commonly occur during bloom or on late blooms during the three weeks following petal fall. Pear (Pyrus species) and quince (Cydonia) are extremely susceptible to Fire Blight. Increased acreage of highly susceptible apple varieties on highly susceptible rootstocks has increased the danger that infected blocks will suffer significant damage. Fire Blight is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora and is a frequently common destructive disease of some fruit trees and related plants. Impacting pear, apple, crabapple, cotoneaster, mountain ash, hawthorn, pyracantha, spirea, and many species in the rose family, it is highly destructive and difficult to control. If leaves at the end of branches are turning brown, or if branch ends are dying on your fruit trees, it's probably caused by fire blight. However, it can be kept under control using organic methods to prevent the disease from spreading and killing the tree. Fire blight canker The fire blight bacteria survive winter in cankers on the trunk or branches of infected trees. The bacteria overwinters on or under infected bark and in the early spring begins to ooze out. The bacteria seep out of the canker through natural openings or cracks as a sweet, sticky liquid known as bacterial ooze. Introduction to fire blight Fire blight epidemics are often sporadic, but can be devastating if optimal conditions are met. Stem blight (branches and trunks) usually follows blossom or shoot blight when stems are expanding rapidly in summer, especially on young trees. It is most prevalent on the following trees: apple, pear, hawthorn, cotoneaster, firethorn and mountain ash. Fire blight is a tree disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. Once a tree is infected, it is nearly impossible to eliminate. ; In spring, during warm, wet weather, bacteria begin to multiply. Fire blight is a common and potentially fatal disease among trees in the rose family, especially pears and apples. Is Your Tree Infected? Fire blight is one of the most devastating and difficult-to-control diseases of many fruit trees, including apple and pear, as well as of other rosaceous ornamental plants. ... Because fireblight in the UK is sporadic, monitoring is best linked to weather, to identify risk periods when symptoms may be present, and field information. Named for the scorched appearance of infected leaves, fire blight is a destructive bacterial disease (Erwinia amylovora) found on apples, pears and other members of the rose family.The disease enters the tree at the tips of the branches and then travels down the stems causing dieback. Apple, crabapple (Malus species), and firethorns (Pyracantha species) also are frequently damaged. Fire Blight is a bacterial infection caused by the Erwinia amylovora bacteria. Outbreaks occur in spring as the bacteria multiply. 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