Balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges piceae (Ratzeburg) hereafter BWA, is an invasive forest pest that attacks and kills true firs (Abies spp.) in North America. Within Utah, it was first detected in 2017 and has primarily hosted on subalpine fir, Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. Relative to other true firs, subalpine fir has exhibited more susceptibility to BWA-related damage, and mortality rates among individuals at infested sites may reach over 80% in as little as three years. However, the specific drivers of stand-to-stand variation in observed damage are poorly understood. Subalpine fir is a key component of the high-elevation forests of the Interior West, and die-off in fir populations contributes to increased erosion, loss of forage and habitat for wildlife, and declines in watershed quality and forest resiliency. I am seeking to explore how forest characteristics may influence the severity of BWA-related damage. Infested stands of subalpine fir in Utah and Idaho have been identified and visited for the collection of forest assessment data (tree size, species composition and density, etc.) as well as the observation of metrics specific to describing the impact of BWA on individual trees. These data will form the basis of a severity rating system to characterize and assess BWA-related damage within stands that may guide treatment decisions within the Interior West.