Tree falls on house in Sisters

A 60- to 70-foot-tall ponderosa pine snapped in half under the strain of high winds on Saturday, October 31. The top of the tree plummeted down, a portion of it landing in a vacant lot - and part of it plunging through the roof of Deborah and Don Olson's home in the Hayden Homes subdivision on the west side of town.

A portion of the tree broke through the ceiling and ended up in a shower stall. Fortunately, it was 4:30 p.m. and there was nobody in the shower. There were no injuries in the incident.

"It was just this crashing boom sound," Deborah said.

Olson expressed some frustration over the incident. The top of the tree, which is on a neighboring property, had turned orange and was clearly dead. The Olsons told The Nugget that they and other neighbors had been trying to get the homeowners' association to address several dead or dying trees, but no action had been taken.

The stress of drought, disease and beetle infestation have been taking a toll on trees throughout Sisters Country. Dead or dying trees are highly vulnerable to falling in soaking rain that loosens soil or in high winds such as those experienced in Sisters on Halloween.

Many local foresters offer assessments of the condition of trees on private property and can provide advice on mitigation or removal.