Containing wildfires—never mind extinguishing them—in parched and windy conditions can be monstrously difficult. Dry vegetation is rocket fuel for blazes and wind both feeds the flames and spreads the embers. “The winds are like pointing an air blower at a fireplace,” says Gershunov, “except it’s not contained and it’s on a much larger scale.”

Officials released the latest information on the wildfires affecting Southern California as power winds hit region.

New wildfires have erupted in California as thousands of firefighters continue their work to extinguish other deadly blazes that have been raging across the Los Angeles area since last week.