A Windstorm on Salt Spring Island

Salt Spring Island recently had a massive windstorm that created much devastation on the Island.  Maplelea Fan Thea C. sent us this photo story of Charlsea taking Saila and Jenna out to survey the aftermath.

There had been torrential rain in the days before the windstorm so the ground was very wet.  When the 90 km/hour wind blew, many large branches and whole trees twisted and snapped and in some cases the roots came out of the wet ground.  Look on the left, behind the stump to see one large root mass.

Trees fell across the roads blocking residents from getting in and out of their homes.  After the storm they had to be cut and cleared off the road.

Old growth trees and new young trees were both impacted. The forest floor was carpeted in green with all the branches and fir and cedar tips.

It took a lot of work with chain saws to cut up the debris so it could be removed or put in less obtrusive places.  Many large cedars, Douglas firs and arbutus trees were lost. 

Some trees fell across power lines damaging wires, transformers and poles.  The power was out in some places for up to ten days, and communication infrastructure took up to three weeks to be repaired in some areas.

Without electricity there is no water for drinking, showers or toilets. Those who had generators were fortunate and switched their emergency power from the freezers to the house and to the pump house and back again.  People helped each other by running cables between the houses so those that had power or phone lines or internet could share it with neighbours.  One positive outcome was that by helping each other out, the neighbours got to know each other better.

One tree fell on a neighbour’s farmstand.  All that was left was the little sign advertising eggs.

Charlsea, Jenna and Saila were amazed at the damage and change that occurred but were grateful that no one had been injured and that life on Salt Spring Island was gradually getting back to normal. 

Thank you to Thea C. for the amazing photo story!