The winds are common in California in the colder months, but they can sometimes help spread dangerous wildfires.

Multiple wildfires are currently raging through Los Angeles County, forcing evacuations and destroying neighborhoods. A long dry summer created ample fuel that has combined with a lack of rainfall over the winter to extend fire season conditions.

When coastal California becomes news with the report of multiple wildfires, especially during fall and winter, there is usually a mention of Santa Ana winds. These winds are the result of strong high pressure farther east in the inter-mountain western region,