Family’s home saved from wildfire near Bigelow Gulch

SPOKANE, Wash. — Sue and Steve Nelson thought they might lose their home Sunday afternoon when a wildfire swept across their 10-acre property near Bigelow Gulch. Instead, they’re calling what happened a miracle.

The Nelsons were inside their home when a police officer knocked on their front door, warning them to evacuate immediately as flames approached from multiple directions. Steve Nelson said the moment was terrifying.

“I was freaking out. I mean I have a heart condition to start with, and that didn’t help it any. And my wife was crying and everything else when we had to leave. We had to leave our cat because we didn’t know where the cat was,” Steve Nelson said.

They took refuge at a neighbor’s house and watched helplessly as approximately 30 firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources and Fire District 9 battled the blaze from both the ground and air. By 7 p.m., they were cleared to return home.

“It was a miracle. The fire burned all around us and every second I was thinking when is our house going up, but it didn’t,” Steve Nelson said.

The fire came within inches of their home, leaving burn scars across their land. The couple lost a cherry tree and part of their back fence, but their house remained standing.

The Nelsons attribute their home’s survival to a combination of factors. Firefighters used water from both ground and aerial operations to contain the flames, while the lush vegetation surrounding their property helped slow the fire’s advance in some areas.

“I compliment the fire districts that were out here. They did a really good job because look at my house, it’s been spared,” Steve Nelson said.

The Nelsons plan to restore their property to its original condition by springtime. While much of their 10-acre property was scorched, they say they’re thankful to still have a roof over their heads. Their experience is one of several fires that have threatened neighborhoods around Bigelow Gulch in recent weeks.