Lack of water and improper pruning might have helped topple trees during windy weekend

A rain and wind storm Sunday caused a power outage and felled several trees in Laguna Beach, officials said this week, raising questions about the stability of vegetation in the city especially if El Niño delivers its expected punch this winter.

Strong winds snapped branches from the trunks of eucalyptus trees, damaging two parked cars along separate stretches of Broadway Street, police said. At 1:50 p.m., a “large” branch struck a Volkswagen sedan’s windshield and blocked all traffic lanes along Broadway between Coast Highway and Beach Street, Sgt. Tim Kleiser wrote in an email.

Police said they did not have additional details on the other damaged car.

Two eucalyptus trees also fell onto Coast Highway near Madison Square Garden & Cafe and Urth Caffe, City Manager John Pietig wrote in an email. Dave Doomey, a manager at Urth, arrived at work at 5:30 a.m. Monday and saw a eucalyptus tree spread across Coast Highway.

“This is the windiest I’ve seen it,” said Doomey, who has lived in Laguna for four years. “There were leaves everywhere.”

Crews split the tree into two pieces to remove it from the road, Doomey said.

Several factors, including decay, lack of water and improper pruning, could explain why large trees snap during high wind, said Craig de Pfyffer, a certified arborist and landscape architect who occasionally contracts with the city.

“With the drought and people cutting back on [outdoor watering], trees aren’t getting supplemental water they used to have,” de Pfyffer said.

In addition, if branches aren’t trimmed properly, “new growth sprouts form, and there is a weak attachment.”

Regarding the power outage, Southern California Edison officials said 3,866 Laguna residents lost electricity for about an hour Sunday afternoon after “vegetation blew into power lines,” company spokesman Paul Griffo said. Griffo said he did not know the exact location of the downed line.

He cautioned residents to stay away from felled electrical lines, even if they don’t see sparks.

“If you see a downed line, don’t approach it,” Griffo said. “Call 911 and stay away.”

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Bryce Alderton, bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce