P.E.I. government officials now say about 13 per cent of the Island’s forested area was affected by the extreme high winds that accompanied post-tropical storm Fiona in September 2022.
“Affected” by Fiona in this case represents forested land where at least 70 per cent of trees were blown down, MLAs on the province’s environment committee were told Thursday.
The eastern part of the province was left with 18 per cent of its forested land affected, compared to 12 per cent in central P.E.I. and only five per cent in the western part of the province.
“It doesn’t mean that every stick of wood in that area is blown down, but those are the most heavily affected areas,” said Kate MacQuarrie, the director of Forests, Fish and Wildlife for the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action.
