Tree cleanup post-Arthur underway in Fredericton

Post-tropical storm Arthur could have an up side for Fredericton area residents who heat with wood.

The city is encouraging citizens to help themselves to tree debris from the three disposal sites set up following the storm.

Reg Anderson took advantage of the opportunity on Tuesday.

He was barely visible as he cut firewood from one of the huge piles of downed and damaged trees.

An estimated 4,000 trees were broken or toppled over by the high winds and heavy rains Arthur delivered to the region on July 5.

That does not include trees on private property or in city parks. The city is responsible for 30,000 street and ornamental park trees.

There are hectares of tree waste. Oak, birch, ash and elm were among the casualties in Fredericton, known as the City of Stately Elms.

The city is chipping the tree waste, and moving the chips to another location over concerns they may spontaneously combust.

The chips are being mixed with other materials to remove the heat from them, officials said.

City officials are warning citizens to be cautious around the many trucks making drops at the disposal sites.

The tree disposal sites include:

• The empty lot next to the car wash on Two Nations Crossing, near the city’s parks and trees depot (open 24 hours daily).
• The municipal compost facility at the old landfill near the Vanier Industrial Park (open from dawn to dusk).
• The former Silverwood lagoon, opposite Orchard Drive.

Materials collected will be taken to the city’s compost facility to be turned into topsoil.

Tree debris taken to a landfill will be charged the appropriate disposal fee, officials said.

The City of Saint John also started its residential tree cleanup on Tuesday.

The pick up is only for leaves, branches and trunks of trees damaged by Arthur.

Residents were to have any tree debris at their curbside by the end of the day Monday.

The cleanup is expected to take about four days, city officials have said.

All available resources are focused on the effort, including crews from the city's road maintenance department, parks and city landscape.