Wildfires began breaking out in Southern California Tuesday morning as a life-threatening, widespread windstorm that could be one of the most destructive to hit the region in over a decade roars to life and creates extremely dangerous fire weather conditions.

As a fire ignited in the Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, the winds crashed over and through the mountains like white water rapids. Winds as strong as those in a hurricane propelled the flames through dense urban neighborhoods, and swirling fire whirls danced from home to home, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Dire warnings have been issued for the Los Angeles area, with a dangerous threat for the strongest wind event in more than a decade. Outages and extreme fire behaviours are major risks

The Santa Ana winds are a notorious wind event in California. It has been fueling the southern California wildfires.

At least two fires sparked in Southern California on Jan. 7 amid a “life-threatening and destructive” windstorm event that’s sweeping through the region.

As a major winter storm batters the Midwest and East Coast, the National Weather Service is warning a destructive windstorm could hit Southern California.