Santa Ana winds

Tags: International News

Why in the news?

• Santa Ana winds rise in Southern California; new wildfire warnings issued.

Important points:

• Nearly 90,000 households lost electricity as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes
• Millions of Southern Californians faced new wildfire warnings on Tuesday (January 14, 2025), and tens of thousands saw their power shut off as strong winds blew across the parched landscape around Los Angeles where two massive blazes have been burning for a week.
• Santa Ana winds that began gusting over the mountains before sunrise were forecast to continue until Wednesday (January 15, 2025) morning with enough force to carry fire-sparking embers for miles and stoke new outbreaks in a region where at least 25 people have already been killed.

About Santa Ana winds:

• Santa Ana winds are strong, dry winds that blow from the Great Basin desert into Southern California and northern Baja California. 
• They are a natural part of California's climate and are most common from October to January.