How 'devil winds' are fueling deadly California wildfires ripping through the state
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A wildfire is tearing through Los Angeles once again, leaving hundreds of millions of dollars of damage in its wake. While it is not clear exactly how this one began, most wildfires are usually traced back to manmade errors, such as an unattended campfire or discarded cigarette.
![[The Santa Ana winds, also known as the 'devil winds,' are extremely dry, high-speed winds that periodically blow from the inland mountains to the coast of Southern California]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/17/93827009-14263565-The_Santa_Ana_winds_also_known_as_the_devil_winds_are_extremely_-a-25_1736357950237.jpg)
Weather and environmental conditions then dictate how severe and widespread the fires become. Experts say that heavy rains from El Niño last year fueled vegetation growth in Los Angeles area, which had since dried out and become highly flammable. Once ignited, strong winds then fanned the flames.
![[These rapidly-spreading fires were sparked by a Santa Ana windstorm that hit Southern California on Tuesday]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/18/93874417-14263565-These_rapidly_spreading_fires_were_sparked_by_a_Santa_Ana_windst-a-11_1736360687435.jpg)
Southern California was battered by 'devil winds', formally known as Santa Ana winds, which are warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of region toward the coast. They are also dryer due to moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
![[The fires have destroyed more than 1,000 buildings throughout the affected area, and more damage has yet to come, officials warn]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/08/18/93879383-14263565-The_fires_have_destroyed_more_than_1_000_buildings_throughout_th-a-13_1736360687580.jpg)
The Santa Ana winds pushed humidity levels to drop and dried out vegetation that then became susceptible to fire. The tremendous wind speeds are capable of stoking any spark into a rapidly spreading devastating fires that engulf thousands of acres in hours.
The Palisades fire, currently the largest of 35 active blazes, has consumed nearly 3,000 acres and is zero percent contained. The Santa Ana winds, also known as the 'devil winds,' are extremely dry, high-speed winds that periodically blow from the inland mountains to the coast of Southern California.
