Whipping Santa Ana winds and dropping humidity levels will create an enhanced risk for wildfires in Southern California this week ... Reaching up to 80 mph, the gusts pose an "extreme" wildfire risk, in addition to low humidity and very dry vegetation ...

The Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index is warning Southern Californians of high risk conditions this week. Winds will increase on Tuesday, likely peaking Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, then weakening some on Thursday. It will be critically dry, and fire danger will be high. Be prepared.

The Los Angeles region, still reeling from this month’s firestorm, is under a red-flag warning from noon Monday through Tuesday morning.

The Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires covered more than 5,600 acres of Southern California as of Wednesday morning. Tens of thousands were under mandatory evacuation orders but the fires increased in size overnight, helped by the blustery Santa Ana winds.

Much of Southern California is under a red flag warning through Wednesday with more strong winds in the forecast.

Santa Ana winds in Southern California are often-fierce winds that topple power lines and trees and can turn a spark into a raging wildfire.

In a state that averages more than 7,500 wildfires a year some California homeowners keep helmets and fire hoses handy. However, the Los Angeles fires demonstrate a new reality: Wildfires in the state are growing larger and more ferocious and burning into suburbs and cities more often, experts told USA TODAY.

The fires devastating California are exacerbated by warm winds similar to what Alberta experiences, which is a risk the Calgary Fire Department prepares for.

Both fires ignited last week during Santa Ana winds, in which strong winds ... according to an update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The common thread between hurricanes and wildfires? Increasingly strong winds - Hurricane-force winds have major destructive power that can turn bad situations worse

Trump is calling today a "liberation day for America." The orders will bypass Congress to undo President Joe Biden's policies ranging from climate to diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce while carrying out Trump's campaign promises to secure the southern border, expand domestic energy production and target transgender Americans.