Don Brunell

Today’s news is filled with images of the massive wildfires roaring through the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in central Washington. The arid pine forests east of the Cascades are prone to wildfire, especially when they are attacked by bark beetles which bore into the trees and suffocate them. Now those tiny insects are boring into healthy majestic trees in the pristine Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

One way to prevent such infestations is through selective thinning and removing dead and diseased trees. But many community organizations and “Friends Of” groups want our public f...