My beautiful cedars are now showing some dying branches. I’d like to send a photo to confirm if it has that fungus or beetle that’s killing lots of trees. And whether I need to cut them down before it gets dangerous to do so.
The tree in your photo appears to be a western redcedar. In which case, the orange brown leaflets scattered through the crown are likely just fall leaf shed - what we call "cedar flagging". It is more noticeable some years than others, but is not generally a sign of serious tree decline. See more on this at PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook - Cedar Flagging.
As long as the newer leaflets and especially the top third of the tree crown remain green and healthy, it is not likely that your tree has any serious disease. Serious disease, insect, or abiotic problems in western redcedar usually cause overall discoloration, thinning of the crown, dieback of the top and then the entire tree.
Note that we have seen an increase in dieback of western redcedar in our area, mostly related to abiotic stress from drought and heat.
