Forecasters in California are using some of their strongest language to warn that windy conditions may help fires spread this week.

Los Angeles, Ventura counties and Santa Barbara counties face especially high risks of wildfires as tens of thousands of residents face possible power shutoffs — with forecasters announcing a rare weather advisory that's typically issued only once every few years,

Wind gusts topping 70 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains are providing a taste of the conditions that are expected to continue into Thursday.

Residents in Southern California face an extreme fire weather threat Wednesday as dry conditions overlap with strong Santa Ana winds.

Strong and "particularly dangerous" Santa Ana winds are expected to return Wednesday, leading to more critical fire threat warnings.