At least five wildfires are ravaging Southern California, and the three largest have already killed at least five people, burned tens of thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of an estimated 179,

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

Damaging winds, downed trees, power outages and raging wildfires. Santa Ana winds can lead to all of these and more, potentially leading to life-threatening conditions. Knowing what Santa Ana winds are and what to do could save your life.