Finland’s forest industry has already purchased more than half the estimated 3 million m³ of timber felled by the Asta storm in July.

The Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) said about 1.5-2 million m³ had been bought so far, with August buying levels far higher than normal at this time of year.

But FFIF warned that harvesting was time-consuming and hazardous.

“It will take a while to transfer harvesting equipment to the storm-affected areas – and the number of available forest machines is in any case finite,” said Anders Portin, head of FFIF’s forestry and infrastructure division.

“Harvesting costs will be at least 50% higher than normal.”

The danger results from trees having fallen in every direction and on top of each other.

Timber from snapped trees will go to the pulp industry, with complete logs to be processed for sawn timber.