Inestimable Damage Wrought by High Wind of Tuesday
May 15, 1930
Power lines are crippled by falling trees; Wind said to have attained velocity of 50 miles per hour; Rain Follows Storm
Wind, attaining a velocity estimated at between 50 and 60 miles per hour, swept over the mountains and down through Honey Lake Valley Tuesday and spread a wide path of havoc and ruin. It was said that the storm was the greatest ever witnessed in this vicinity.
Mountain roads were blocked by falling giants of the forest, Lake Almanor’s surface was whipped in to a sea of mountainous waves, boats were blown to bits, lives were endangered by falling trees in Susanville, windows were smashed and power lines were crippled. Two small fires were fanned by the wind until it threatened to spread over a wide acreage. The wind began early in the morning and lasted until late evening. No estimate of the damage could be made but it was thought that it would run into thousands of dollars.
The two fires. One in Elysian Valley, and the other near the Westwood-Susanville highway at a point about five miles west of Susanville were brought under the control late Tuesday. The Elysian Valley fire was caused by the spread of the burning of slashings by the “big blow.” The greater portion of this fire consisted of stumpage. The highway fire, believed to have been caused by the falling electric wires, ruined a percentage of virgin timber. Forest rangers were on the lookout throughout the day for other fires.
Several barns in Honey Lake Valley were reported blown to pieces by the wind. Innumerable windows and several school house doors were smashed and trees in the downtown section were felled, some cracking directly in the center of the trunk.
Crippled power lines were net temporarily repaired until 7 o’clock Tuesday night after having been disabled early in the morning.
Lake Almanor, one of Lassen County’s prize fishing preserves, was made a raging sea by the heavy wind. Fishing boats, fishing supply base barges, privately owned boats and various other craft were torn from their moorings and lashed against the shore and were being pounded by the merciless waves. A small fire also started in the woods near the edge of the lake but was quickly extinguished.
The windstorm, said to have originated in the Pacific Ocean, was followed by a drenching rainfall.
Four poles were blown down more were reported down at Camp 2 of the Red River Lumber company. Westwood’s power lines were “out” on three different occasions.
Over a mile of Hat Creek lines were down Tuesday.