JohnRoss Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Well we all had the night of the great storm Monday night, don't know how bad it was for other folk but it was pretty extreme here. The wind sounded like an express train going past all night and the power went off to about 28,000 homes in the Poitou-Charente and 924,000 in total in France including us. It was off from about 1.30am until 11.am yesterday here. http://www.liberation.fr/societe/0101318619-apres-la-tempete-89-000-foyers-sans-electricite-mercredi-matinSix of the tall fir trees on our boundary broke off about 3 metres up and fell into the little road next to our place blocking it completely. I went out early and knackered myself cutting them up with my bow saw and gave up after the first three. After brekky I heard a chain saw running and went back to find our local farmer and his mate with a chainsaw and a tractor with a bulldozer attachment cutting and pushing the remaining trees off the road. I was, of course, most grateful as I might have got a bill I suppose if the local authority had to do it. So am now in the process of cutting these up and chucking the bits into the end of our field. Should take about a week to clear as cannot do too much at a time, so exhausting. Could have been worse as they fell away from the house as the wind was coming from the South West off the Atlantic. Must have been about 140 km/hr in gusts or higher and strong enough to snap a healthy tree off like a rotten carrot! We do have a power line running along the line of some these fir trees at the edge of our property and none of those keeled over thank goodness but I am wondering if we would be sent a bill if they did fall on the line and took it out? I assume that we would have a claim on the house insurance under third party liability in this event and the same if some poor devil got squished. I assume the electrickery people would charge to amputate these trees to protect the cable. Any thoughts anyone?..............JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Sounds bad, John. We had several trees blown down in the Jan 24th gales, though none fell on power lines or the road. I'm pretty sure (not certain) you wouldn't have to pay for the electricity line repairs. At a farm behind us some pines fell on power lines and pig houses and 3 farms were without electricity for 10 days, though they all had generators. You should ring your insurers about cutting up the trees. We are covered up to 1200€ for what they call desouchage, and have managed to find someone to do some of the work here. Like you, Eddie went out there with his chainsaw but soon had had enough. Good luck - Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I had two small trees down in the earlier storm and my neighbour will be coming across with his chain saw to sort them out - I get his labour and expertise with the saw and he gets the wood!Monday night's event sounded quite dramatic but no damage other than the big roller shutter blind on the front of the house must have somehow got the wind behind it, because it bowed the slats and popped them out of the side channels. Ten minute job to fix, fortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The problem is though, SD, no-one wants pine or fir wood. If you burn it in the poele it just clogs up the tubes with the burnt resin/tar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valB Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Pretty hairy here in dept 79 as well. We did not sleep very well as we have a lot of trees around our property and Yes, it did sound like an express train at times. Our big brave labrador was very frightened during the evening and decided he reaally was a lap dog after all. Fortunately we did not have much damage so quite lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Ok folks so all cleared away now after some considerable slog. Hope everybody else ok and anyone want any pine logs? As has been said no good for the fire!....................JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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