Hampton Lumber announced on July 24 that the Fort St. James mill will undergo a temporary curtailment for five weeks due to low log availability.

In a social media post, the forestry company said the decision is unrelated to market conditions but was necessary to address current supply challenges. However, operations such as the log yard, kilns, planer, and shipping will proceed without interruption during this period.

The company said it remains dedicated to its Northern Operations and values the strong relationships it has with local First Nations and communities.

While thanking the ongoing support and understanding of it employees, their families, and the First Nations, Hampton Lumber also put put an advocacy plea.

"We encourage our employees and community members to continue advocating for the forestry industry, which is vital to our communities and economy," the post read. 

Hampton Lumber purchased the sawmill from Conifex in 2019. The old mill was shut down and demolished following the change of ownership and the new one opened during the pandemic in 2022.

Last year in April, the company announced the shipment of its first load of lumber amidst news of several mills shutting down operations in the region. 

Hampton Lumber employees are mostly from Fort St. James with some from the surrounding areas. The company has not said anything yet about job cuts. Black Press Media has reached out to Hampton Lumber for a comment.