The Effects of Processing Burnt Timber
Timber companies always have to worry about fire damage to their stock. Some diversify by holding timberland in different regions so a fire or extended drought in one area does not cause a loss for the entire company. The downside of extensive holdings in different regions means losses in some are likely on a regular basis. The upside is that the volume of loss is much more predictable. Even after a fire, timber is seldom worthless.
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Yield Ratio
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The amount of usable wood in any timber that is burnt before processing is diminished. How much the yield is diminished depends on how badly it is burnt. Even with a surface fire that is quickly controlled, the damage can be extensive. Besides charring of the bark, the outer wood usually suffers some charring. If the sapwood is intact and undamaged, it may still be used as lumber, but it is graded lower than it would have been without the fire. The result of any fire is a reduction in the amount of usable wood, or yield, from each tree.
Increased Cost
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The very fact of decreased yields contributes to increased costs per tree processed, but burning creates problems with some of the equipment used to process timber. The carbon of charred bark and outer wood is tough on cutting tools used to process timber, creating extra wear and tear on equipment. Carbon dust that is raised in cutting the timber can cause failure in bearings and increase the cost of cleaning water that is used in the process.
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Time Sensitivity
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Timber has been burnt must be processed quickly, usually within a year. Burnt timber has an increased vulnerability to insect infestation and rot, as insects burrow into the outer wood and rainwater gathers in the borings. As the wood begins to dry out, its use for either lumber or in pulp rapidly diminish. Within three years, timber that has been burnt is usually only useful as firewood.
Uses
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Timber that has been scorched in a fire is rarely useful for lumber, except in a lower grade than what the original quality of the wood indicated. Usually burnt timber is useful only for pulp. Even as pulp, much of the outer wood is lost. If charred wood chips are used in the pulp it can create discoloration of the final product, so the wood must be trimmed back to the sapwood to get useful pulp. The longer burnt timber is allowed to stand, the less of it that can be used even in pulping. Wood dries to a point at which even re-soaking chips will not produce useful pulp.
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