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.

A wildfire near Balcom Canyon in Southern California has scorched at least 1,500 acres. Recues and injuries have been reported. Evacuations underway.

Several Southern California counties are under "extremely critical" wildfire warnings as warm, dry temperatures and strong winds create volatile fire conditions. On Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a rare red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties alerting of an "extreme fire risk" from Malibu into the San Gabriel Mountains,

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