Trees Devastated by Spruce Bark Beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis)

Observation by Desirae Roehl:

My family and I have been RV camping across Alaska for the last several years. This year, the mass amounts of dead spruce trees have been more apparent than any year prior. Before the camping season, it was announced in this ADN article that some of our favorite campgrounds would be closed for the summer and potentially into next year due to the beetle kill for the safety of campers. Our first trip was on June 1 in Houston, AK, along the Little Susitna River, an area rich in spruce. Nearly all the trees we encountered were dead or showed evidence of spruce beetle infestation. During our trip on June 27 from Anchorage to Fairbanks, spruce kill from Houston to Denali National Park was more noticeable than ever before - especially near Willow, AK, and the Parks Highway stretch between mile posts 140-170. With the dry weather we've been experiencing and these dead trees, I fear the threat of wildfires in these areas will increase.

Comment by LEO Editors:

This observation has been shared with LEO members at the National Forest Service and the National Park Service.