Beetle Kill Turns Forest Red, Raises Wildfire Risk

CBS 4 ^ | Aug 15, 2006 | Paul Day

[george76]

Experts and emergency management officials in Grand County worry that a large stretch of forest devastated by pine beetles may be waiting to burn in a massive wildfire.

At least a quarter million acres of lodge pole pines are either dead or dying because of the mountain pine beetle.

They've turned once green forests into large areas of dead, red colored trees.

"Some of these county roads are very thin," Billy Sumerlin, director of Grand County's Natural Resources department said.

"It makes it very difficult for fire apparatus to get in, especially if we're in the process of trying to get people out."

Homeowners have cut trees around their properties to create defensible space and protect their homes.

"I think it would be impossible to stay on top of it at the rate it is going, it's alarming," ...

[george76]

" If you have ever seen those red pine trees then you have seen the effects of bark beetle, and these days entire mountainsides are covered in a spanning sea of red, dead trees. "

[kinoxi]

If George Bush and those evil republicans didn't hate the trees so much...

[Red Badger]

I know we're having a drought here for the last 6 months, Panhandle of Florida, but I've noticed a large number of pines and OAK tress dying around here lately, not just old ones, but young ones, too. Anybody know what kills these trees besides just drought?........

[P-40]

Anybody know what kills these trees besides just drought?........

Do you have oak wilt in your area? Nasty stuff.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Great image right before lunch.

[xcamel]

You can pretty much thank the tree huggers for banning logging on massive tracts of land, allowing the beetle to move in and kill a forest that should have been harvested, and now will just burn away.

[george76]

There is a good video, if you have a few minutes :

http://cbs4denver.com/video

[kinsman redeemer]

This site reports some of the work being done on the Kenai Peninsula.

Good collaborative effort.

[Salamander]

Type "oak" in the search box.

http://www.barkbeetles.org/

[Little Ray]

Ya know, if the forest is infected, a fire might not be a bad thing...

[george76]

You are correct.

When the massive wild fire gets going, it will go into many of these communities burning homes and businesses.

Hopefully some are now building a defensible space around their homes.

[Red Badger]

These "Live Oaks" (native species) Just up and turned brown over the last couple of months. Pines I don't care about.........

[July 4th]

Ya know, if the forest is infected, a fire might not be a bad thing...

Nature's disinfectant.

[george76]

The fires will kill many of the beetles.

Unfortunately, the fires will also pollute the air, pollute the water supply with ash which also kills wildlife ( not just fish...), then kills the organic soil if it gets hot enough.

[thulldud]

Lodgepole pine seeds need a fire to germinate, too.

[kinsman redeemer]

Thanks.

[kinsman redeemer]

Fire is not a bad thing even when the forest is not infected.

[george76]

It is good to hear that Alaska is taking this seriously.

Harvesting some of the dead trees provides good jobs to the local communities. The local jobs then can support the local schools, medical facilities...

All for a renewable resource.

[poindexter]

That wound could use some maggot therapy! (Warning, graphic)

http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/som/pathology/sherman/myiasis.htm