Paul Wellman
An oak landed against a house on West Valerio.
Santa Barbara city fire and police responded to West Valerio Street on a report of a tree leaning against the house Tuesday morning. The structure was evacuated, and plans were put in place for removal before more rain and wind affect its precarious status. Since Sunday night, five downed trees had been reported to the city, arborist Tim Downey said, not uncommon when the soil becomes saturated, though no determination of what caused them to fall has yet been made.
The wind has caused more damage around the South Coast than the rain thus far. An enormous pine on De la Vina Street at De la Guerra fell victim on Monday, as well as a 40-foot queen palm along Santa Barbara Street at Alameda Park, which was something of a hardhat zone from flying palm fronds. A peak gust of 23 mph was recorded on the bluffs at Santa Barbara City College at 5 a.m. yesterday, the county wind gauge showed.
Jean Yamamura
Wind knocked a palm over along Alameda Park on Monday; parks personnel discuss how to remove it.
