DENVER -- Colorado will receive the largest chuck of funds designated to fight the plight caused by the pine beetles.

Colorado's U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced during a conference call on Monday afternoon that Colorado will receive $30 million out of $40 million dollars being diverted by the U.S. Forest Service to fight the millions of acres of damage caused by the mountain pine bark beetle in the Rocky Mountain Region.

In December, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, announced he was diverting funds from his department's budget to fight the pine beetle. Vilsack made the decision after hearing from a number of lawmakers in the mountain west about the damage caused.

“I am delighted the Department of Agriculture is finally recognizing the incredible need we have here in Colorado," Bennet said.

According to the latest data -- released in late January -- the pine beetle has infested 3.6 million acres since the onslaught began in 1996.

U.S. Forest Service employees are also alerting the public on the growing danger of falling beetle-killed trees. Studies have shown lodgepole pine killed by pine beetles begin falling three to five years after infestation. Forest crews are seeing an increase in the number of downed logs discovered.

Udall said the newly-allocated funds will be used for public safety projects.

“In particular I want these dollars focused on making our communities safer," he said. "Bark beetle trees pose dangers to our communities from catastrophic wildfires to falling trees.”