Tree falls, narrowly missing homes

Salmon Creek — When Susan Wiggs and her family moved into the Knollridge neighborhood, there was a 120-foot white fir in the yard they made sure to build their house around. On Dec. 21, when heavy winds hit Clark County, Wiggs noticed the tree swaying more than usual. She called her neighbor who lives behind her and said her house might be in the path of the tree, should it topple. At 1:15 p.m., Wiggs went to the kitchen to check on the ground underneath the tree, and saw it lift up as the tree started to fall. She ran to the living room, but the tree was already down. “I don’t even remember the sound or vibration,” she wrote in an email. “I think I was in shock.” Luckily, the tree fell perfectly on a line to avoid all other homes. It narrowly missed one neighbor’s hot tub, but did take out a whole bunch of limbs from their alder tree and ruin a rather new landscaping job. It also took out portions of three fences. Neighbors called and stopped by to check on Wiggs, who made the most out of what she called a “Christmas miracle.” “I offered firewood to my neighbors across the street and Christmas greenery to anyone who needed it,” she wrote.