Strong Santa Ana winds are hitting fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday morning, but the winds will relax later in the day and the red flag warning will end Friday night.

Red Flag Warnings remain in effect through Friday evening for much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the National Weather Service said.

Powerful Santa Ana winds are set to pick up again, making it challenging for firefighters to gain control of the severe wildfires in southern California. Meanwhile, a winter storm is bringing cold temperatures,

Multiple wildfires are currently raging through Los Angeles County, forcing evacuations and destroying neighborhoods. A long dry summer created ample fuel that has combined with a lack of rainfall over the winter to extend fire season conditions.

Santa Ana winds in Southern California are often-fierce winds that topple power lines and trees and can turn a spark into a raging wildfire.

The nature of the Santa Ana winds makes them perfectly suited to fueling blazes like the Palisades Fire, and climate change is increasing the risk

The Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires covered more than 5,600 acres of Southern California as of Wednesday morning. Tens of thousands were under mandatory evacuation orders but the fires increased in size overnight, helped by the blustery Santa Ana winds.

The devastating fires that have killed at least five people and forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of residents across the Los Angeles region are driven by Santa Ana winds that blow from the deserts of interior California and Nevada out to the Pacific Ocean.

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles were intensified by strong Santa Ana winds, which are a unique weather pattern in Southern California. These winds are caused by the topography of Southern California and the circulation of a strong high-pressure system over the Rocky Mountains.