As of March 29th, 10 uncontained large wildfires were reported during the week. The fires are confined to 5 states and have burned 22,372 acres.
Wood Markets News
BC’s Prince George Fire Center Proactively Under Fire Ban Through October 15th
The Prince George Fire Center is under a fire ban as of noon on Thursday, March 28th, The Canadian Press reported.
Setra Doubles CLT Capacity in Långshyttan, Sweden
Setra is inaugurating a new processing machine for cross-laminated timber, doubling the capacity of its CLT factory in Långshyttan.
US Mortgage Application Payments Trend Higher in February
The national medium payment applied for by applications increased 2.4%, from $2,134 in January to $2,184 in February, the MBA reported.
US Median Existing-Home Down Payment Up 24.1% Year-Over-Year in February
The median down payment for homebuyers was $55,640 in February, up 24.1% from $44,850 a year earlier, Redfin reported.
Canadian Real GDP Increases 0.6% in January
Canadian real GDP grew 0.6% in January, led by a rebound in educational services following the resolution of the public sector strikes in Quebec.
US Pending Homes Sales Increase Month-Over-Month in February, but Remain Lower Year-Over-Year
The National Association of Realtors Pending Homes Sales Index was 1.6% higher month-over-month in February.
Oregon School District Sues Oregon Department of Forestry Over New Forest Management Plan
Jewell School District filed a lawsuit in against the Oregon Department of Forestry over declining timber revenues as the state prepares to implement a new management plan for its forests, KGW8 reported.
Belarus Circumventing EU Sanctions by Exporting Timber Though Poland Using False Documentation
An investigation published by Notes from Poland shows Belarus is circumventing EU sanctions by exporting timber into the bloc through Poland using false documentation suggesting it is from Kazakhstan.
US Fixed-Rate Mortgages Inch Lower in the Week Ending March 28th
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.79%, down from last week when it averaged 6.87%, Freddie Mac reported.