Black Hills National Forest

News Release

USDA Forest Service

Black Hills National Forest

Contact: Beth Steinhauer (605) 673-9251 or Jeanette Timm (307) 283-1361, or email us at r2 blackhills webinfo@fs.fed.us

FOREST SERVICE CAUTIONS PUBLIC IN TORNADO HIT AREA: PLEASE DO NOT CUT FIREWOOD

BEARLODGE, WY: JULY 15, 2009

Forest Service officials cautioned the public to be extra cautious traveling in the Cook Lake, WY, area, recently hit by a tornado, and to not cut firewood from the broken trees..

“Our first concern is life safety and then protecting private property,” said Steve Kozel, Bearlodge District Ranger on the Black Hills National Forest.

“We are also concerned that we be able to recoup some of the economic value of the damaged trees by selling them to local sawmills,” he said. If the trees are further damaged or taken by firewood cutters losses are compounded.

Cutting the damaged wood is also very dangerous, Kozel said. “There are still many unstable and spring loaded trees in this area making it a hazardous landscape,” Kozel said. “People need to be aware of their surroundings and be careful.” Cut the wrong way, a tree under tension can snap like a mousetrap, injuring or killing woodcutters.

There is very little time to actually take the trees to sawmills before there value drops from wood boring beetles and blue stain from airborne fungus. Forest officials continue to assess the area to understand the extent of the damage and what to do about it.

A tornado hit near Cook Lake, WY. (about 13 miles from Sundance) Monday around 6:30 p.m., leaving many Forest Service roads blocked by downed trees and several standing trees weakened. The tornado started near Cook Lake and moved SE about 9 miles.

Kozel estimates that the tornado severely damaged trees and some private property and structures in an area of about 4500 acres with a 22 mile perimeter. The average width was ½ mile and 9.5 miles in length, Kozel said. Estimates are that 80-95% of the larger trees were either snapped off or uprooted.

Much of the damage occurred in active timber sale areas. Forest Service crews and local loggers were dispatched to the scene Monday night to assess the situation and clear trees to open roads for travel.

Kozel said Forest Service crews with help from the county, timber industry, and volunteer fire department. “Everyone worked very hard to get the main roads open,” he said.

All main roads leading into Cook lake were re-opened to the public Tuesday afternoon. They include Hemler (FS 831), Red Water (FS 843), Togus (FS 841), and Fawn Creek roads (FS 832).

Some secondary roads still have trees across them. Crews will be assessing these in the near future.

There was minimal damage to Cook Lake Campground.

No injuries have been reported.

There is no estimate of costs of damage resulting from the tornado.

Sidebar: Editors

People cutting trees felled by tornadoes are in great danger because the wood has been twisted by high winds. When the wood is cut, the trees try to snap back to their original or more normal configuration, meaning a person could be severely injured, like a mouse being snapped in a trap, forest officials say. Only experts with lots of field experience, or loggers with heavy machinery, should take on the work of cutting up the downed trees. In most cases, the areas of the damage are in active timber sales which are closed to the public. There may be some private land or forest land where firewood cutting would be legal but officials are asking people not to cut in those areas. Wood will be made available to the public Kozel said..

Wood permits are available now at the Sundance Ranger District.

- 30 -