Two trees downed in Monday’s early morning hours following a night of high winds

Trees falling in Laguna Beach became somewhat the day’s norm yesterday (Monday, Jan. 23), with two trees falling. No official cause has been determined, but heavy recent rains and Sunday night’s extreme winds are likely to have played a part.

The first reported downed tree was on early Monday morning after it fell and blocked the roadway in the 600 block of St. Ann’s Drive.

Click on photo for a larger image

Courtesy of City of Laguna Beach

The St. Ann’s Drive tree completely blocked the roadway

According to Mark McAvoy, the city’s Director of Public Works, “the tree was situated on private property and was not a city-maintained tree and there was no damage to public property from the downed tree.”

The city’s contractor, West Coast Arborist, removed the downed tree and St. Ann’s was reopened at approximately 10:15 a.m.

Click on photo for a larger image

Photo by Kelly Bivens-Ray

This downed pepper tree on Egan Road was reportedly the oldest one in Laguna Beach

A second tree also fell early Monday morning around 7 a.m. on Egan Road, according to Kelly Bivens-Ray, who lives nearby. She added that at 3:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon clean-up crews were “still clearing and chipping.”

Local historian Eric Jessen added that it was “the oldest pepper tree in Laguna Beach.”