Ipps type infestation in a Ponderosa? Pics and questions...

[Alta]

So one of my bigger trees is dieing from the top down like a fir with ipps and I can only assume this is what it is although when I got my Forest Tech education 25 years ago, I was taught  this didnt happen with pines and at the time it didnt locally - Northern Calif 4000' in the Sierras near Alta. So while Im fairly certain I'll have to bring it down, Im not sure what to do next. If it wasnt June already Id cut up all the affected areas and burn them but I dont really want to burn now. And I may be wrong about the whole thing. Please let me know what you think is going on and what I should do about it.

In lieu of pics just imagine a typical fir with ipps - but its a ponderosa.  The tree doesnt have a lot of competition, and no other stressors I can think of.
Thanks

Rich

[Ron Wenrich]

I'm here on the east coast, and I'm not too familiar with pine problems.  From what I could gather on the net, there are pine beetles that effect ponderosa pine.  That may or may not be your problem.

Your local county agent would be a good resource to point you in the right direction on what it could be, and how you should go about in any type of disposal. 

[Alta]

I'll drop it today and weather permitting carefully burn the afected areas. if I cant do that I'll bury them. I read last night that a form of Sevin might be effective but in all likelyhood the bugs have flown by now anyway - its already brown - missed my chance when it was first yellowing - hard to see the top from most vantages on mmy property. I think I'll fly over the area and see what else is going on.