Severe Winds Batter Desert Town, Cut Electricity

A severe summer storm kicked up winds that ripped out windows and walls and cut power overnight in this Mojave Desert town, authorities said Friday.

Summer electrical storms continued to drench Southern California inland areas and the National Weather Service forecast more thunderstorms, lightning and high winds for the deserts during afternoon and evening hours this weekend.

No injuries were reported from the heavy winds that struck Baker, but several mobile homes were damaged, windows at numerous businesses were blown out and the back wall of an auto service garage was knocked down, causing its roof to collapse, said Baker firefighter James Meral.

Officials estimated damage at $500,000 to $1 million.

No official reading on wind speed was available, but Meral estimated that gusts topped 75 m.p.h.

The winds began at about 9 p.m. Thursday in the town 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles, cutting power to 420 utilities customers for nearly nine hours as crews scrambled to repair downed power lines, said Southern California Edison spokesman David Barron.

Sunny Skies Elsewhere

Elsewhere in Southern California, sunny skies and warmer temperatures were forecast.

Coastal highs were expected from the mid-70s to 80s, and from the 90s up to about 100 in inland valleys. Overnight lows were expected to dip into the mid-50s and 60s. Mountain highs were also to range into the 80s, with overnight lows in the 50s and 60s.

Meanwhile, near Cloverville in Northern California, firefighters battled in 100-degree temperatures Friday to contain a blaze that has charred more than 1,800 acres of trees, grass and scrub.

Firefighters hope to control the fire by 6 p.m. today, said Jerry Murphy, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry,

On Friday, Murphy said the blaze was 90% contained and 75% controlled. About 770 firefighters were battling the blaze.

No buildings were burned and no serious injuries have been reported, said Murphy. One inmate firefighter was taken to Santa Rosa Community Hospital, where he was treated and released.

Firefighters from the CDF, Sonoma County and neighboring Marin County have battled the erratic blaze since Wednesday, when it was accidently set off by a welder working in a barn about 4 miles southeast of town.