FINLAND’S president says he can recall discussing forestry with US president Donald Trump – but is not sure if the subject of raking came up.
Trump told reporters on Saturday while visiting the ruins of the Northern California town, where a fire killed at least 76 people, that wildfires were not a problem in Finland because crews “spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things” to clear forest floors.
Finnish president Sauli Niinisto said in an interview published yesterday in the Ilta-Sanomat newspaper that he spoke briefly with Trump about forest management on November 11, when the were both in Paris for Armistice Day events.
Niinisto said their conversation focused on the California wildfires and the surveillance system used across Finland to monitor forests for potential fires.
He remembered telling Trump “We take care of our forests”, but could not recall raking being spoken about during the conversation.
The US leader’s comment generated amusement on social media in Finland, which manages its vast forests with serious scientific precision.
Forests cover over 70% of Finland’s 338,000 square kilometres.
The Nordic country, which has a population of 5.5 million people, is home to some of the world’s biggest paper and pulp companies.
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