This story took a turn...			...in Burns Lake
This story was supposed to be about a successful local company and it's unique product. Instead, the story took an abrupt turn. On Monday, June 15, 1998, fire destroyed the buildings and machinery of Francois Lake Woodworking, located 20 km south of Burns Lake. Birch logs ready to be band-sawn to cants All that you see in the photos has been reduced to burnt rubble. Only the employees and a small office survived. The story is now about what existed a short two weeks ago. Francois Lake Woodworking was started in 1983 by owners Fred Ahrens and his wife, Ursula. Fred was looking for a new opportunity in manufacturing when he learned about the birch and aspen wood in the Burns Lake area. It was not being used, except as firewood. Fred knew that the wood could be made into high-value products and that Europeans had been using the wood successfully for many years.			The company started small. They bought private wood and made a variety of products such as chopsticks, window stock, piano parts, and furniture components. The company was trying to find the best market. Meanwhile, the cost of birch logs started to rise. Soon, it was obvious that the company could no longer afford to simply make low-value components. This band saw squared the round logs to cants Fred decided to switch from supplying parts to other companies to creating a unique product line which could be sold directly to the public or to retailers. The finished product would have a higher value and the company could control their own destiny. The new product was flooring and panelling made of local birch, pine and aspen