Firefighters Fear Floy's Legacy
NEW BERN, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2000--On the exact day that eastern North Carolina marked six months of recovery from Hurricane Floyd, the state officially readied for another kind of hazard. March 15 opened the 2000 fire season. Unfortunately, foresters and fire safety officials warn that the floods of last fall left tons of flammable debris.
According to Arthur Wallace, an early rotation forester with Weyerhaeuser's Timberlands Division in New Bern, the lingering flood killed much of the region's vegetation and left dried brush in its wake. "An added concern is that timber that wasn't salvaged during the clean up from Hurricane Floyd has had six months of drying time," says Wallace. Dryer timber is easier to ignite and will burn hotter. And younger timber, such as new growth after a storm, is what Wallace calls "flashier fuel" because it dries more quickly than older trees.
For nearly thirty years Weyerhaeuser has offered trained foresters like Wallace and fire-fighting equipment to support state and federal forest services during fire season. "The North Carolina Forest Service is doing an excellent job training personnel and educating the public in fire prevention and control," says Wallace, "and they value the additional resources we provide."
This year, Weyerhaeuser has contracted for two scout planes. Ground equipment contractors are also on standby. The NC Forest Service has three aerial tankers in its fighting arsenal. It owns one and maintains two on standby contract. These CL-215 aircraft each hold 1400 gallons of water or water and foam retardant mix. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has helped to fund these tanker contracts and also has manpower on call in the region, according to Wallace.
"Weather patterns have been so unusual lately that we're not sure what to expect this year. We have to prepare for everything," adds Wallace. In the past several years, forest fire season extended well beyond its official closing date of May 30.
Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY), one of the world's largest integrated forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 1999, sales were $12.3 billion. It has offices or operations in 13 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities. Weyerhaeuser came to North Carolina in 1957 and now operates 16 facilities in ten communities across the state. The company is one of North Carolina's largest private landowners, managing over 560,000 acres, primarily for the commercial production of southern yellow pine. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at www.weyerhaeuser.com.
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