Extreme fire weather returns to Southern California - particularly Los Angeles and Ventura counties - as winds of up to 100 mph have prompted the most urgent warning from the National Weather Service.

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.