We’ve all heard about the current epidemic running wild through our local forests. Bark beetles have claimed numerous victims and the devastation continues with no sign of stopping. Governor Jerry Brown declared a State of Emergency in our forests on October 30, 2015. CAL FIRE has issued Drought Mortality Exemptions that allow landowners to forgo the typical process of being approved for projects and undergoing environmental compliance checks and allows loggers and foresters to remove these dead and dying trees at their own discretion.