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.”

According to forecasters, the Santa Ana wind gusts could hit 70 mph in areas where firefighters are still battling flames nearly a week after the Palisades Fire broke out in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Those winds are likely to persist through Wednesday.