California Burn

The number of dead trees in California’s drought-stricken forests has risen dramatically to more than 102 million [62 million this year] in what officials described as an unparalleled ecological disaster that heightens the danger of massive wildfires and damaging erosion.

[...]

Scientists say five years of drought are to blame for much of the destruction. The lack of rain has put California’s trees under considerable stress, making them more susceptible to the organisms, such as beetles, that can kill them. Unusually high temperatures have added to the trees’ demand for water, exacerbating an already grim situation.

[...]

“The scale of die-off in California is unprecedented in our modern history,” said Randy Moore, the forester for the region of the U.S. Forest Service that includes California. Trees are dying “at a rate much quicker than we thought.”

  La Times

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.