Question
MY PROPERTY FENCE LINE ALONG THE ALLEY HAS IVY FOR PRIVACY. THIS IVY HAS BEEN ON THE FENCE FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS PLUS. RECENTLY THE IVY HAS BEGUN TO SHOW SOME DRY/BURNT SPOTS AND WITHIN A SHORT THE ENTIRE AREA HAS DRIED UP AND DIED. DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY? I NOTIUCE MY OTHER FENCE LINE WITH IVY HAS A FEW DRIED UP LEAVE'S AND SOME HAVE A POWDER/MILDEW ON THE LEAF. WHAT IS HAPPENING? THANKS! JOSEPH VARGAS- LOS ANGELES, CA.

Answer
Hard to say without seeing the damage. At first, the symptoms you describe had me thinking someone has put weed killer on your ivy, but the powdery stuff sounds like powdery mildew, a fungus.
If it is powdery mildew, a good soaking spraying with a fungicide should take care of it.
A good organic fungicide is baking soda disolved in water.
I would make it very strong, about 1/2 cup soda to each gallon of water, or even stronger.
I like that better than the chemical fungicides I used to use. It seems to work faster and better.
It would be best to tear out as much of the infected ivy as you can,to help stop it from spreading, and then spray till both tops and bottoms of the leaves are saturated well, as well as the ground underneath it.
I would recommend you take a few of the leaves with the powdery residue to a nurseryman and have him/her verify if that is what it is. It could be some other disease, but it sounds like a fungus to me.
Charlotte