The Santa Ana winds are dry, powerful winds that blow down the mountains toward the Southern California coast. The region sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events a year on average, typically occurring from fall into January. When conditions are dry, as they are right now, these winds can become a severe fire hazard.

Strong Santa Ana winds and the surrounding topography in Southern California have made it extremely challenging for firefighters to battle the blazes across Los Angeles County. Neil Lareau, an assistant professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Nevada,

Although the Santa Anas are a routine part of life for people living in southern California, the winds are particularly violent and destructive this time around, experts say.

Firefighters held the line against two massive wildfires that have ravaged parts of Los Angeles for the past week, even as desert winds and a parched landscape presented extremely hazardous conditions.