Strong winds cause power outage in Columbia neighborhood

Almost 100 residents in Columbia were out of power for about two hours around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

A tree fell over a power line and Columbia Power and Light crews had to respond to the area of Hulen Lake to get power back to their customers.

Connie Kacprowicz, spokesperson for Columbia Power and Light, said the city offers a free tree-trimming service to reduce the possibility of strong winds, or any other weather, causing trees to fall over power lines. She said that even though crews try to keep trees trimmed, Mother Nature can still get in the way and cause an outage.

Kacprowicz said customers should always be prepared for a power outage any time there is severe weather in the forecast. She said people should stock up on items that can be used without electricity.

Strong winds can also affect fires and how fast they spread, according to Gale Blomenkamp, assistant fire chief with the Boone County Fire Protection District.

Blomenkamp said a lot of firefighters are killed because of wind-driven fires. He said strong winds can push a fire through a building so fast that firefighters are unable to escape it.

On days like Tuesday, with strong winds, the smallest spark can create a wind-driven fire, according to Blomenkamp. He said that people should not intentionally burn anything or even throw a cigarette out of a car window, because it can create a wind-driven fire more easily.