A public survey of 500 Alaskan residents was conducted in 1991 to evaluate public attitudes regarding the catastrophic mortality of spruce trees in the region caused by a spruce bark beetle epidemic. At that time nearly 700,000 acres of spruce forest in south central Alaska had been killed by the spruce bark beetle. The survey focused on understanding public attitudes towards forest management and salvage issues and fire risk management. A subsequent survey of 500 Alaskan residents was initiated in the spring of 2002. This survey repeated the same questions utilized in the 1991 public survey. The big difference between the two surveys has been the vast increase in forest area devastated by the spruce bark beetle now estimated at nearly 3 million acres. Vast acreages of spruce forest have over 90% mortality of all overstory trees. These dead trees have contributed to a critical concern for personal and property safety from wildfires. These two surveys seek to understand if in hindsight, has there been an evolution of public attitude toward supporting more aggressive salvage and forest harvesting on public lands. Results from these surveys may have significant implications for forest management issues throughout western states that are faced with declining forest health conditions and increased risk from catastrophic wildfires.