The powerful winds fueling the wildfires are known as the Santa Ana winds, which flow out of the Great Basin in Nevada and Utah toward the Southern California coast. These winds push dry desert air over the mountains and accelerate as they blow into canyons and valleys.

Raging wildfires in Los Angeles killed at least two people, destroyed hundreds of buildings and stretched firefighting resources and water supplies to the limit on Wednesday, as more than 100,000 people were ordered to evacuate.

A series of life-threatening fires, the largest of which is in the Pacific Palisades, are destroying homes as they race across Los Angeles County and surrounding areas. CNN is tracking the fires in maps and charts.