J.C. Thompson moved back to Pictou County and has been enjoying the rural life. - Contributed - ContributedWhen J.C. Thompson stops his chainsaw and removes his ear protection, he hears one thing. Silence.
Thompson had somewhat successfully chased a musical career out west for years after graduating from East Pictou High, but as he approached 40, he took note of the cost of living in Vancouver and contrasted it with home in Pictou County.“It's landlocked, so the value of it on paper is incredibly low, but you go walk it, it's acres and acres of forest,” he said. “I remember just thinking, 'in Vancouver, I couldn't trade it for like a square brick space.
Thompson was actually away when the hurricane-force storm hit the province, but when he came back he was amazed at the amount of damage. He decided to start working to help property owners get their fallen trees cleared up. He said the name Forest to Fire Place captures again the contrast of what he does.J.C. Thompson has been busy cleaning up trees knocked down by Fiona.
“It's been bonkers now,” he said. “The government has an incentive going that's just about to expire, but basically they cover the first $250 of tree services for storm damage.”“I've been pushing that as hard as possible because that's just a win-win for everybody,” he said.