More than $2 million worth of timber was destroyed in June in Jasper County, where thousands of acres were ravaged by just one wildfire.
The Powerline Fire burned for more than a week, scorching nearly 4,200 acres, threatening 500 homes and forcing the evacuation of several subdivisions. The fire has since been contained, but the effects are far-reaching.
According to Texas Forest Service economists and analysts, the wildfire destroyed between 3.3 million and 5.1 million cubic feet of timber. That’s the equivalent of about a thousand 2,000-square-foot homes.
The stumpage value of the timber was between $2 million and $3.1 million. Stumpage value represents how much the timber would bring to the landowner as it stands in the woods.
Nestled deep in the East Texas Piney Woods, Jasper County depends heavily on the timber industry, according to agency researchers. It ranks the highest among all counties in East Texas when it comes to reliance on forest industries.
In 2007, forest industries funneled $958 million into Jasper County’s economy while employing 1,760 people with a payroll of $155 million.
“Along with the heavy toll on people and property, the fire also caused significant damage to forestland,” said Chris Edgar, a forest resource analyst with Texas Forest Service. “It had profound impacts on the forest sector in the region.”
The timber lost in last month’s fire could have been used to produce $39.3 million worth of forest products such as lumber, plywood, oriented strand board, paper and paperboard products. The creation of such products would have resulted in roughly $86.3 million in total economic activity in East Texas.
Researchers noted the impacts weren’t just financial. The fire also had a negative impact on the environment in Jasper County.
“Texas forests play an important role in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, providing clean water, preventing soil erosion and providing habitat for wildlife,” Edgar said. “This fire has the potential to alter the forest’s ability to perform these functions effectively.”
Source: Texas Forestry Department
Topics Texas
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
With American Mobile Cancellations, Florida Mobile Home Market Has ‘Fallen Apart’ 
Hard Market Conditions Expected to Ease in 2025 as Claims Inflation Softens: Swiss Re 
Allstate Reports Second Quarter Pretax Catastrophe Losses of $2.1B 
Wall Street Pushes Back After Activists Escalate Protests 
