wind burn is more than likely the culpert...could be that the needles only dehydrated, they might not be dead yet! check the bud sets at the ends of each branch....if hard and briddle, the plant is dead, if still green plant is alive. just because it looks dead or dieing dosen't mean its deas yet.... wait un till its time for the trees to candle out.[ trem used when spruce grow in the spring.]
I'am not an arborist, but I have worked in the Green Industry for more than 25 years... MCN [Michigan Ceritified Nurseryman]