With more critical fire weather this week in Los Angeles, the National Weather Service once again issued one of its strongest warnings possible.

Santa Ana winds return to Southern California from Monday to Tuesday, once again raising fire danger concerns.

Containing wildfires—never mind extinguishing them—in parched and windy conditions can be monstrously difficult. Dry vegetation is rocket fuel for blazes and wind both feeds the flames and spreads the embers. “The winds are like pointing an air blower at a fireplace,” says Gershunov, “except it’s not contained and it’s on a much larger scale.”