Bark beetles killing Columbia River Gorge pines

VANCOUVER, Wash. — People looking across the Columbia River Gorge will notice dead pine trees dotting the landscape.

The Columbia River Gorge Commission and Washington State University Extension Service say the trees are being killed by an infestation of a little brown bark beetle called the ips beetle. It’s common to California and Oregon, but new to Washington.

The Columbian reports (http://bit.ly/1rPzc2L ) the beetle normally preys on trees weakened by wildfires, but if the population becomes massive enough it can take down healthy ponderosa pines.

Agencies are telling landowners the infestation can be controlled through forest management, such as tree thinning.