ANOTHER huge ****ing tree just fell in our yard! Ask me anything...

[regnaD kciN]

Some of you may remember this thread from a couple of years ago, when a hundred foot Douglas Fir came down on our house and yard during a windstorm.

This morning, around 5:00 A.M.

Another windstorm.

Another hundred foot Douglas Fir. (The one on the right in the third picture on that page.)

This time, it appears we were really lucky. The tree fell to the southwest, missing the house entirely. We no longer have much of a backyard, though.

It's too dark to take pictures, but I'll try later on today or tomorrow (I have to be away most of today.)

The other good news is that there aren't too many other trees around here left to fall. The bad news is that, if they can, I bet they will.

:shrug:

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Yikes!

I'm glad no one was injured!

[ET Awful]

2. So what did you do to piss off the trees anyway?

You been out their cutting down saplings or something? :P

Glad it missed your house :)

[regnaD kciN]

4. Not me. but...

...the housing development we live in used to be a "timeshare" campground that was used as a summer getaway by Seattlites. Over the decades, some of those who had purchased lots built summer homes, then, as the area expanded, day-to-day homes.

It appears that, while all this was happening, far too many people simply clear-cut their lots before putting in houses, with the results that the forest got too thinned out, and the remaining trees lost their protection from wind. Add to that several new developments coming in to the windward of us, each simply clearcutting several hundred acres, and we're right in a wind tunnel.

When we moved here, there were six old-growth Douglas Firs in the center part of the block. Two died and had to be taken down. One was blown down in December 2003. Another came down this morning. Now, we've only got two left. I'm hoping that, since the two are right next to each other, and lined up with the prevailing wind direction along with one maple, they can provide some wind shadow for each other, and might stay up.

At least none of the firs in the stand at the end of the block came down, since one of them has been a nesting place for a pair of bald eagles for the past ten or so years.

[regnaD kciN]

3. Here are some photos...

(More photos at this link -- scroll to the bottom.)

[uppityperson]

5. we lost a couple last weekend, right before the windstorm hit

I don't know why they fell down before the big winds, but at least we got to clear them out beforehand. (W.WA too)

[regnaD kciN]

6. It's strange, but where I live...

...we get a lot of windstorms, but last Saturday's (i.e. "the worst storm to hit the Puget Sound area in seven years!") was pretty mild. Last night more than made up for it, though -- it was much, much worse, even though it barely merited more than a blip on the Seattle radar.

[hfojvt]

7. did you see mine in my front yard

a couple years ago, and I just picked up some more wood today from that same mess. There is still a giant branch which I have partially cut up in my back yard. It got pinned between two trees and only fell down last summer.