You might be happy with three sides of a tree, but you won’t be happy with the fourth side.
THE B.C. MESSAGE CHRISTMAS TREE PAUL FARMER HUESKEN IS SENDING CUSTOMERS. TO HIS THE HEAT DOME HAS RESULTED IN SINGED TREES.
DUNCAN, B.C. •Christmas tree growers in British Columbia say they are facing a brown holiday season due to the heat dome that drove temperatures above 40 C for days and burned firs destined for family living rooms.
The late June heat dome turned some trees from green to brown and killed many spring seedlings, said Robert Russell. He has been growing Christmas trees on Vancouver Island for almost 50 years and holds a degree in forestry from the University of British Columbia.
Russell, 83, said the heat was too much for some of the firs and their needles turned brown, reducing the trees’ value at Christmas.
“The trees were not able to cope with the heat of the solar rays,” said Russell, standing beside a two-metretall, seven-year-old Grand fir that would be a prized Christmas tree if not for its singed branches.
Douglas fir trees, which are native to B.C.’S coastal regions, fared better than other non-native ones during the heat, but they are often considered to be lower tier because of their needle structure, he said.
Russell said the majority of his business involves wholesale of trees to companies and organizations that market them at Christmas.
But the public is also welcome to come and cut their own tree on his property.
Wholesale customers have already asked about the status of trees for the Christmas season, he said.
“I said, ‘you’ll get your trees but the quality may not be as good as has been,’ ” said Russell. “The heat dome’s effects are going to limit the numbers of trees available to market.”
Paul Huesken said he’s heard similar stories.
“I’ve been growing trees since 1987 and this is the worst year,” said Huesken, who runs Woodsong Christmas Trees near Chilliwack and serves as president of the Southwest B.C. Christmas Tree Association. “I’m simply saying to some of my (wholesale) customers across Western Canada, ‘I don’t think I can supply you this year because you might be happy with three sides of a tree, but you won’t be happy with the fourth side,’ ” he said.