In recent days, however, the region’s powerful Santa Ana winds—which have been fanning the flames—have begun to slow down. This lull has offered firefighters a reprieve and a key opportunity to make progress against the blazes, but forecasts suggest the Santa Ana will return next week. What are these gusts, and how have they become so strong?

Los Angeles firefighters braced for high winds overnight into Tuesday, gusts that could fuel two monstrous wildfires that have already leveled entire neighborhoods, killed at least two dozen people, and burned an area the size of Washington,

Another pitched battle between a fully mobilized, multi-agency firefighting force and the historic blazes that have devastated Los Angeles was ... relative calm. The Santa Ana winds that sparked ...

After a break in strong winds that helped firefighters make progress against the deadly blazes in Southern California ... Winds in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties could reach ...

A "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning remains in effect as strong winds cause extreme fire danger in Southern California.

Southern California is braced for "extremely critical fire conditions" caused by a new period of Santa Ana winds today through Wednesday across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as the battle to contain rampant blazes goes on.

Multiple counties in Southern California were under red flag warnings from the NWS early Monday, with the service warning of yet another round of Santa Ana winds.

The winds will come and go, with the strongest gusts expected early next week, especially next Monday night and into Tuesday, forecasters said.

Santa Ana winds are caused by strong high pressure over the Great Basin region of the West creating a pressure gradient that amps up winds through the mountains, foothills and sometimes valleys of Southern California. In this case, the winds are getting a major boost from a strong upper-level low pushing southward across the state.

The ferocious Santa Ana winds that helped fuel the deadly wildfires around Los Angeles are forecast to ease later Wednesday, but they may return.

Strong Santa Ana winds rage multiple wildfires across California, including Los Angeles, Palisades, and Eaton. What caused the fires in California to spread so quickly?