Strong winds topple trees in Bay Area, cause power outages

ALAMEDA, Calif. - Strong wind gusts whipping through the Bay Area early Wednesday morning knocked down trees and temporarily shut down part of a freeway. 

In Alameda, crews were sent out early in the morning to fix and stabilize a power pole, which was leaning over at Chestnut and Clement streets. 

Police had to temporarily close part of the street, while Alameda Power worked to secure the power pole.

There were reports of other power outages as well in Alameda, including a home on Union Street near Central Avenue.

About 1:30 a.m., strong winds also brought down a 40- to 50-foot tree right in front of a house. 

No one was hurt, but the person at the home said both of his cars were damaged when the tree came down.

Nearby in Oakland, at about 3 a.m., the winds caused problems on Highway 13, where more trees came down, blocking the southbound lanes of the highway at Redwood Road. 

A similar problem occurred at the Broadway Terrace exit off Highway 13 about the same time. 

Though PG&E didn't state a cause for the power outages in the South Bay and Peninsula, thousands were without power on Tuesday afternoon, specifically in San Bruno and South San Francisco. 

And in Southern California, three large wildfires that broke out Tuesday and are fueled by Santa Ana winds, destroyed homes and businesses, closed shools, clogged roadways and forced tens of thousands of people to flee.