You've heard about the Bay Area's problem with big eucalyptus trees that smell nice but are nearing the end of their lives and have a habit of falling over? Well, one did just that on Crossover Drive in Golden Gate Park, causing a major traffic backup on 19th Avenue.

Crossover Drive is the busy, six-lane road that traverses Golden Gate Park, connecting 19th Avenue/Highway 1  on the south end of the park to Park Presidio Boulevard on the north end. Around 4:15 p.m. Monday, a large eucalyptus tree fell onto the roadway, and onto four passing vehicles, and minorly injuring a couple of drivers and/or passengers.

The tree fell in the area of Crossover Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, not far from where 19th Avenue abuts the south side of the park.

SF fire crews and emergency responders were on the scene, and an update after 5 p.m. from the SFFD indicated that 11 people were extricated from the cars, two of whom had non-life-threatening injuries. No one required transport to a hospital.

Red marker shows approximate location of downed tree.

The downed tree also closed all lanes of 19th Avenue, making for a very painful detour at rush hour for many motorists trying to get from 19th Avenue to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Everyone is being advised to avoid the area if at all possible. It's not yet clear when Crossover Drive might reopen.

It seems like the rain has only barely begun this January, compared to last year, but you may recall that wet ground from last January's storms led to lots of downed trees around the city.

We'll update you if we learn more.

This post has been updated to include information about injuries.