The dead trees will burn. The pine beetle will die off to barely sustainable numbers, the forest will restart and rinse and repeat.
There are a lot of structures in the way though. But if have driven through Grand County Colorado, it is a forgone conclusion, thousands of acres are going to burn. If they started logging like hell it might help, but the housing slump says that won't happen.
The Forest Circus could issue permits to harvest firewood that way private contractors could benefit as well as their potential customers. But they refused to do that in the past over here in Larimer county. It’s a waste and a danger.