A Seattle times front page article, Forest was Easy Prey for Raging Tripod Fire, by Hal Bernton, suggests that bark beetle damage to forests, encouraged by warmer winters, contibuted heavily to the worst fire year in Washinton State for 22 years.
I have some experience here - on an overnight high-country horse ride earlier this year, the outfitter and guide showed us the rising elevation of spruce bark beetle infestation and worried out loud about fires.