Wildfires force some forestry companies to pause operations: industry association

A wildfire raging west of Chibougamau, in Northern Quebec, is shown in a June 4, 2023, handout photo. Wildfires across Canada are forcing some forestry companies to pause operations, particularly in Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-SOPFEU, Audrey Marcoux, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Wildfires across Canada are forcing some forestry companies to pause operations, particularly in Quebec. 

Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, says close to five million hectares have been burned so far, and workers in some forestry communities have been evacuated.

He says some mills and woodlands operations across the country are unable to operate right now for safety reasons. 

Nighbor says Quebec has so far seen the biggest impact in recent weeks when it comes to forestry companies’ operations being affected by wildfires.

Lumber prices are also rising as the fires continue, with lumber futures for July up 8.5 per centmid-dayTuesday compared with a week earlier. 

Nighbor says even once the fires are under control or extinguished, it won’t be business as usual for companies that have paused operations, as they have to assess the impact of the fires on supply. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2023.

The Canadian Press