Wildfire and Dust Storm in California, February 11 to 12, 1999

Strong winds blowing through the mountain passes of San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties necessitated major road closures by the California Highway Patrol. Extensive property damage occurred throughout and west of the San Gorgonio Pass. Numerous trees and signs were blown down and into buildings and vehicles, causing further damage. A freshly plowed field just west of San Gorgonio Pass was stripped of it's top soil, and the blowing dirt was tracked for 15 miles downstream. Approximately 5000 residents of Beaumont were in it's path, 30 of whom were treated for breathing problems and rashes. Elsewhere in Riverside County: a large commerical building in Lake Elsinore was blown down, a 150 foot tall tree was blown over and crushed a trailer home, and winds caused power outages and minor brush fires. Further south, in the Laguna Mountains of San Diego County, trees and power lines blown down between Julian and Buckman Springs, caused road closures, power outages, minor brush fires, and destroying one building. Along Interstate 8, numerous highway signs were destroyed and two tractor-trailor rigs were blown over. The winds temporarily died down the afternoon of Feb. 11, then increased again that evening into the morning of Feb. 12.