This summer has been dry. Currently, the Chippewa Valley is considered in a severe drought. As such, many trees and shrubs in non-irrigated settings may be experiencing a certain amount of drought stress. Giving your trees and shrubs (needle-bearing, conifer species especially) adequate water before the ground freezes can help them better tolerate winter conditions.
Regarding evergreens, plants that are well-hydrated are less prone to winter burn. Newly planted or young evergreens, or those planted in dry falls may suffer severe moisture loss during the winter and thus severe winter burn. Established evergreens should receive approximately one inch of water per week and newly transplanted evergreens up to two inches of water per week up until the soil freezes in the autumn or there is significant snowfall. If supplemental watering is needed, use a soaker or drip hose to apply water near the drip lines of plants rather than using a sprinkler. See more about winter burn at Winter Burn, https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/winter-burn/.