A large number of Monterey pines on the coast are infected with pitch canker which is a disease of pine trees that is caused by the fungus Fusarium circinatum. A Monterey pine is the most susceptible of the pine species.
Identification
The fungus causes cankers or lesions (infections) that can girdle a branch or even an entire main stem or trunk. The area above the infections often wilts as a result of obstructed water flow causing the needles to brown, die and fall off. This is evident in a number of Monterey pines on the coast see photo example. The tree then produces pitch in response to the infection which is also seen on a number of trees on the coast see photo example. Once the fungus has caused a number of branch infections a large canker will often form on the main trunk which often leads to decline. For pictures of pine trees infected with pine pitch canker click here.

To further complicate the problem, once a pine tree is infected with pitch canker it causes decline in the tree and makes the tree susceptible to pine beetles. For examples of trees that are being killed from pine beetles click here.