Their Branches and needles acting as sails to catch the blast's full force, trees three or more feet in diameter splintered like match sticks.

Tossed like a child's toy, this car near Meat Lake was thrown across the road and partially covered by fallen trees.  The blasts heat stripped off the plastic from the seats covers and trims. The family that owned that car, did not survive.

In this picture you can see how powerful the blast was.  Only one tree was left standing.  The rest were bent almost straight to the ground.

Within the blown-down zone trees were toppled or broken as a hurricane of hot rocks left a jackstrawed pattern.