Piles of cut broom on the side of the highway may pale in comparison to the bright yellow blooms of the living plants, but Broombusters head Joanne Sales it is far better than the alternative of just giving up.
Sales said the piles are chipped by highways crews, but they need to dry prior to this being done. However, she said while they may present somewhat of a fire hazard, the live plants do as well.
“It’s still better than having a fire hazard the length of Vancouver Island,” she said. “Living broom is also a fire hazard because it has an extremely high oil content.”
She said the response to the cuts should be better this year than in years past.
“Last year there was a change in who was in charge of chip-up and this year everything should go more smoothly,” she said.