Strong winds whip through the Bay Area and spark fires in Malibu

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. – Whipping winds ripped through California late Monday evening, causing trees to fall and fires to break out across the state.

In Southern California, a massive wildfire broke out in Malibu near Pepperdine University, canceling classes for the day.

The AP reported that power was cut to tens of thousands of people Monday evening as utilities worked to mitigate the impact of the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds.

To the north, winds in Berkeley were so strong that they pushed a tree onto the front deck on Eunice Street and also damaged the roof of a neighboring building.

Another large tree branch blocked the road along Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Cedar Street.

There was also some property damage along Shattuck Way between Hearst Avenue and Virginia Street. The restaurant’s patio furniture and construction fences were blown down by the wind.

Berkeley firefighter Dejuan Turner said that despite some physical damage to structures, there were no injuries.

The National Weather Service said gusty winds will blow in higher elevations, and winds of up to 50 miles per hour were reported in places like Mount Tamalpais in Marin County and the hills of Oakland.

The gusts decrease as the daylight hours progress.