Hurricane Helene: One Year Later

As you probably already know, in late September of 2024, Hurricane Helene struck our humble state of Georgia. The deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland since Katrina in 2005, Helene claimed over 250 lives and wrought an estimated $78 billion in damages. In the days, weeks, and even months following the storm, most of Georgia was in crisis mode, desperately trying to clear debris and retrieve the injured. 

​Thankfully, our little Athens area was largely unaffected. This allowed us here at Classic City Arborists, along with many other local tree service companies, to spend multiple weeks travelling to neighboring communities (even going so far as North Carolina!) to assist with tree-related clean-up. 

​Long-Term Impact

​It’s been a year, now, since this disaster struck, and Southeast is still feeling the aftershocks. The agriculture industry saw major losses to 2024’s crops, including cotton, vegetable, and pecans, causing shortages throughout the year. Many pecan orchards were partially or entirely blown away, destroying decades of work and investment in one fell swoop. Recovery for impacted farms and orchards are still ongoing, and shortages continue. 

​The poultry industry also saw millions in chicken houses ruined, and even the dairy industry felt the effects with lower milk production due to rainwater saturation. 

Timber Supply Chain

Unsurprisingly, the timber industry was devastated. An estimated 1.5 million acres of timberland were damaged, and the overall economic impact to the industry is estimated by the UGA Cooperative Extension as at least $2.65 billion. This reduce in supply, of course, increases the cost of the final product, which we’re starting to see in the rising cost of everything from lumber to paper. 

​But that’s just the direct impact of damage from Helene. The timber industry saw more tragedies than just the hurricane in the last year, namely the closure of four major paper and pulp mills. 

​In addition to the direct loss of over 1,600 jobs, careers down the line from loggers to truck drivers to small business owners have taken hits due to these closures. Loggers are finding it nearly impossible to return to their standards of sale pre-Helene without these major mills to purchase their product. In turn, they require less truckers to transport that product. 

​This reduce in supply could further increase the cost of all wood-based goods down the line, from 2x4s to paper towels. And with loggers harvesting less wood to compensate for the lack of mills willing to take their product, landowners are uncertain that the investment needed to replant will return anything at all. 

​To put it simply, the entire timber industry in Georgia is still struggling over a year after the initial devastation of Hurricane Helene.

​There’s Hope

​The state of things is certainly dire, but that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Every industry impacted by Helene has rallied in the wake of tragedy, coming together with the dedication and determination humanity always displays in times of crisis. 

Even the timber industry’s future isn’t bleak despite the current state of things. The Georgia Forestry Association is looking at a variety of options for expansion, to provide jobs for those impacted by mill closures and to revitalize the industry itself. 

---

Author

Emily Casuccio is sister and sister-in-law to Rebekah and Scott Rushing, and has worked with Classic City Arborists for the last 5 years. In addition to handling administrative tasks and customer communication (she’s the voice you’ll hear on the phone!), Emily is an experienced copywriter, editor, and storyboard consultant. To learn more about her, read samples of her work, or contact her, visit her online portfolio.

Sources:
UGA Cooperative Extension
Georgia Public Broadcasting
11 Alive News