Teal Jones is donating enough lumber to rebuild 50 homes and buildings in Lytton, B.C. and the Lytton First Nation following the fire that devastated those communities – totalling approximately a half-million board feet.
“Teal Jones has felt the impact of traumatic fire events, but we were able to get back on solid footing with the help from the forestry community in British Columbia,” says Jack Gardner, great-grandson of Teal Jones’ founder and a spokesperson for the family-owned company. “We feel terrible for the people of Lytton and Lytton First Nation affected by this fire, and want to pay that past assistance forward. We encourage other forestry businesses to join us in the rebuilding of these resource-dependent communities.”
The company is reaching out to the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council/Lytton First Nation, the municipal government and regional district, and province to coordinate the donation with those authorities, ensuring the donation goes where it’s most needed and arrives at the appropriate time. Teal Jones is also planning to contact community organizations about supporting their rebuilding in the communities.
The donated lumber will come from B.C.’s working forests, and be sawn in Teal Jones’ local mills.
Teal Jones has previously experienced fires at mills and woodlands in the past – about 20 years ago when campers violating a campfire ban near Boston Bar caused a significant forest fire that destroyed a large timber supply area. The company was able to recover with support from suppliers and employees.
Teal Jones is a B.C. privately-owned coastal forestry company. The manufacturer employs more than 1,000 people directly in woods and sawmill operations across B.C.
