Extreme fire weather returns to Southern California - particularly Los Angeles and Ventura counties - as winds of up to 100 mph have prompted the most urgent warning from the National Weather Service.

Could the windstorm that stoked the Los Angeles fires happen in Northern California? The answer is yes, and it also resulted in a historic fire disaster. Here's an explanation of the phenomenon.

A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area in the northern region of Los Angeles County, spreading quickly to 10,176 acres near the freeway, officials said.

According to AccuWeather, a storm sliding south along the California coast from Friday to Sunday could bring some much-needed rainfall.

The National Weather Service issued its most serious red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties this week as the fires still burn

The Santa Anas are expected to be most powerful Monday night into Tuesday. Fire services across the region say they are ready.

San Diego wildfires resulted in residents evacuating the area. Two fires occurred early Tuesday morning. Intense winds are causing dangerous fire conditions in communities. Wildfires in San Diego have led to mandatory evacuations in the area on Tuesday.

Continued strong winds and dry conditions on Wednesday morning rapidly spread a fire near Castaic Lake in northern Los Angeles County and has burned through 8,096 acres.

The blaze has burned just over 14,000 acres near Pasadena. It is 89% contained. This fire has burned 80 acres in San Diego County and is 30% contained. Jacey Fortin The Friars fire burned a few acres in San Diego’s Mission Valley neighborhood Tuesday afternoon,

Mild temperatures and low humidity are expected to contribute to "dangerous fire weather conditions" through Tuesday, Jan. 21

San Francisco’s rainless streak will hit two weeks Monday as a long stretch of dry weather plagues California this January. But there is some hope that by the weekend at least some parts of the state will pick up rain and snow.