Winds leave behind downed trees, debris and power lines in Montecito and Santa Barbara

MONTECITO, Calif. - Powerful winds Monday night sent a giant eucalyptus tree crashing down in Montecito taking with it power and telecommunication lines.

It was just one of many issues the South Coast dealt with while a big blast of wind followed a heat wave the area felt last week.

Debris was also on the ground throughout the area and the Santa Barbara waterfront.

Many branches were shredded and palm fronds were in the traffic lanes on Cabrillo Boulevard.

Public works crews were called out late Monday night when Olive Mill Road in Montecito was blocked by a downed tree.

The property owner was scheduling a cleanup early Tuesday morning from what was left on his site.

It is a location that was impacted in the 2018 Montecito mudflow as well.

Montecito Resident Lola Elzin described the sound of the wind at her house saying,  "it went boom,  boom, boom, boom!"

Nearby Dennis Walker says he was in the dark,  "from about 8:30 last night until 9 - 9:30 this morning."

He thought the giant tree came down because, "it's been very windy lately and maybe that  loosened that tree up." 

Montecito has areas known as one of the strongest wind corridors in the front country.

Will Wilson said, "it was tough. Really windy, and it was consistent. It didn't let up. The palms were blowing and now I've got to go home and clean it all up now."

One resident moved quickly when the winds picked up. Jean Brooks from Montecito said, "it was pretty windy but we got our umbrellas down and I got my pots secured. And I could see the palms really moving. "

She also said the blowing trees opened up a view she rarely sees.

Back at the scene of the small wind driven fire Monday by  Dwight Murphy Field the scorched area revealed the burnt vegetation and trees from the suspicious fire that was uncomfortably close to the Santa Barbara Zoo and nearby condos.