Wind gusts cause part of roof to blow off Washington Academic Middle School in Sanger

SANGER, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sheer power of Mother Nature was on full display outside Washington Academic Middle School Wednesday.

The field of debris not only stunned students, but it also surprised landscapers called in to fix the emergency.

"Normally, it's the tree hitting the building, damaging the roof, this time it was the roof hitting the tree and damaging the tree. So it was the reverse of what normally happens," said Ed Cuadros with Bellagio Construction and Landscaping.

There were so many broken limbs and bits of roofing; crews filled three trash bins to the brim.

A tarp now serves as a temporary cover as the district evaluates the damage.

"The sheeting is still up there, they've got that covered. So it's solid. But it was all the foam layer and the coating that ripped right off," Cuadros said.

The winds are also causing more microscopic damage to people's health.

The San Joaquin Air Control district says strong gusts coming in from the Grapevine are blowing dust in areas where soils are exceptionally dry.

"It's literally creating a soup of air pollution trapped here in the Valley," said Ana Stone.

Experts say for the next 24 hours, the South Valley will experience unhealthy levels of particulate matter. Families, especially children, should limit their time outdoors.

"People with already health issues like asthma, bronchitis, it may trigger it if you are exposed for a prolonged period of time," Stone said.

Utility companies are asking people to secure any outdoor furniture, tie it down or bring it inside, so it doesn't bring down any power lines and causes unnecessary outages.