Question
MY BLUE SPRUCE IS ABOUT 40YRS OLD, HEALTHY. IT ACCUMULATES INCHES OF FALLEN NEEDLES WHICH CAN BE A FIRE HAZARD HERE IN COLORADO. SHOULD I REMOVE ALL, LEAVE SOME? ALSO SUCH THICK MULCH MAKES WATERING THE TREE A PROCESS. IT IS VERY DRY HERE OR IS SUCH INSULATION WHAT IT NEEDS?? ALSO SHOULD DEAD, BARREN BRANCHES ON THE INSIDE OF THE TREE BE REMOVED?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP.
MARY

Answer
I am trying to picture where the tree is growing and am taking the view that is is growing in your yard or lawn. With this view--the fire hazard is reduced by the grass in the lawn. IF the needles are covering the grass I would rake them back to the dripline of the tree (where the branches extent out to). Usually you do not want more than about 3 inches deep of fresh needles as mulch around the tree. The mulch will help hold moisture around the roots. Watering a tree this large is not need unless you are having a long drought then I would water with 1 inch of water -place a pan under the tree and turn the sprinkler on and when the pan has 1 inch of water in it atop. Do this every third day during a drought. The mulch will hold the moisture longer. Just wetting the needles will drop the fair hazard.

The dead limbs on the inside are natural pruning from the shade. This is normal. Wether to prune them off is a matter of aesthetics and an individual choice. Either way is fine. If you are concerned about IF a fire were to burn under the tree it would spread up the trunk due to these dead branches then go ahead and cut them off.
I hope this is what you are asking.