November tornadoes cause $13 million in damage to timber in Northeast Texas

A Nov. 4 tornado outbreak caused $13 million in damage to more than 10,000 acres of timberland in five counties, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported Wednesday.

Five tornadoes tore through Bowie, Cass, Henderson, Morris and Red River counties. One death was reported in Morris County. The Forest Service most of the damage to timber was on private property.

Damage assessment was collected by the foresters and technicians from Texas A&M Forest Service as part of the Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

Aaron Stottlemyer, who is the Texas A&M Forest Service Forest Analytics Department Head, said in a release that the assessment is used as an effort to help local officials make an accurate survey of storm impacts and recovery needs. He said it could play a role in helping the counties receive disaster aid.

“We’ve developed protocols for rapidly assessing timber damage following major disasters that have become a model for similar efforts across the South,” Stottlemyer said in the release. “Our agency performs this work as a service to the people of Texas.”