MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - An aggressive invasive plant species is threatening waterways, farmland and homes throughout Madera County—prompting a major cleanup effort led by River Partners and county officials.

The plant is called Arundo donax, and while it may look like bamboo, experts warn it’s anything but harmless.

Crews with River Partners have already begun clearing thick stands of the plant from local riverbeds, calling it both a flood and fire risk.

“It can grow four inches a day and up to 30 feet tall during a good growing season,” said Ashley Verna, a restoration ecologist with River Partners.

While Arundo’s towering stalks are easy to spot, Verna says it’s what’s happening below ground that poses the biggest danger.

“But the way that it actually grows is the root s

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