Mother Nature's Power and Fury evident in Santa Ana Winds (70 mph plus)

Some might argue global warming and climate change, and they probably are right but Riverside, CA has an issue it might need to address sooner than later. Trees they planted as part of their 'enriching the new neighborhoods' they were building and planning, could come crashing down if last month's Santa Ana winds come calling more often and with equal or great ferocity. Riverside, CA is a city southeast of and an hour plus drive from Los Angeles, CA. The city planners planted on their tree lawns (the area between the city streets and the sidewalks in front of all of their homes) gorgeous Junipers. This junipers have grown and prospered in the warmth of the Southern California sun and mild winters. Many are over 50-60 years old now and have grown as tall as 7 to 8 stories tall. This winter turning into spring saw the Santa Ana winds climb to as strong as 70+ mph. On one street in Riverside, Rosewood place, a street I happened to be working on and repairing a fence, two of these eight story junipers were blown down at either end. A car was crushed and 10 houses were blocked off by the carnage. Close look at the trees and their roots tell you that, junipers when full grown have anywhere from 80-85% of their bodies (roots, trunk and branches) are above ground. Weakened root systems, lack of water, sheer size and weight and wind can all spell trouble for the junipers, the homes and the people around them. Standing beneath them as the wind whips through their branches, one gets the eerie sense they could topple and destroy everything and anything in it's wake.

These majestic trees line every street in Riverside and give shade and beauty but could spell problems for the future. Will be interesting to see what the city planners decide to do with this issue but being proactive before future Santa Ana winds might be prudent.

Note: Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry downslope winds that originate inland and affect coastal Southern California and northern Baja California.

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