The winds are common in California in the colder months, but they can sometimes help spread dangerous wildfires.

Firefighters scrambled to corral a fast-moving wildfire in the Los Angeles hillsides dotted with celebrity homes as a "life-threatening, destructive" windstorm hit Southern California, fanning the blaze seen for miles while roads were clogged with cars as residents tried to flee.

The nature of the Santa Ana winds makes them perfectly suited to spreading flames. The destructive Palisades Fire is the latest example

Fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, low humidity and ongoing drought conditions, wildfires erupted Tuesday in Southern California, threatening homes in Pacific Palisades.

Santa Ana winds in Southern California are often-fierce winds that topple power lines and trees and can turn a spark into a raging wildfire.

Resident Nicolas Libonati said he saw a lot of abandoned cars on the road, and people running toward the coast. "It was kind of a surreal scene," he said.

As the South prepped for snow and more cold starting Wednesday, residents in Southern California faced off with hurricane-strength winds.

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.

The potentially hazardous conditions are expected Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the NWS.