But the authorities were letting the public take the wood provided they filled in a form, and at least the timber which people were taking away was going to be put to good use. It was all being carefully stacked and carried away at no cost to anyone.

Once the official clear up started they were using grabs which totally destroyed the wood, making it useless for anything except perhaps pulping. And who pays for it? We do, because the insurance companies will recover their costs through increased premiums.