Beatlejuice

We left Kamloops, heading for Whistler, at about 10am. At one beauty spot I had a chat with a group of Dutch tourists who were travelling in an RV Camper van. Yesterday we had passed a vast swathe of dead and dying pine forest. They told me that it was caused by Pine Beatles that usually die off during the winter, or when there are forest fires. In just three years, this beetle has devastated vast swathes of the pine forests in and around Kamloops. Nobody knows if it will stop spreading, but milder winters are likely to lead to more deforestation caused by this beatle. As you can see from the photo, the effect on the trees is quite devastating, leaving vast tracks of dead wood. Perhaps nature will rebalance if these woods are allowed to burn. Only time will tell.