Eurajoki forests hit hardest by storm damage in Finland

Forests in Eurajoki have suffered the most storm damage of any municipality in Finland this decade, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Official forest use reports indicate that up to a quarter of the municipality’s private forest area has been affected by storm damage in recent years.

The November 2024 Lyly storm, Finland’s first to register as a severe hurricane-force storm, caused extensive damage—particularly in Eurajoki, as well as in Pori, Rauma, Uusikaarlepyy, and Laitila. The Hannes storm over the 2025–2026 New Year further compounded damage along the west coast and in Pirkanmaa.

Regionally, private forests in Satakunta and Ostrobothnia have been the worst affected, while Kymenlaakso, Uusimaa, and Lapland have largely avoided major storm damage.

Unfrozen ground reduces root stability, making trees more vulnerable to strong winds, according to Aki Hostikka, deputy preparedness chief at the Finnish Forest Centre.