How to get rid of this giant noxious weed found in the Pacific Northwest — without burning yourself

(NEXSTAR) — The definition of a weed is relatively vague  — a plant growing where you don’t want it, experts explain — but some earn an extra adjective to describe them: noxious. 

That term has a federal definition, thanks to the Plant Protection Act: “any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry, or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States...