Dry conditions and strong winds descending through mountain passes have unfortunately created perfect conditions for wildfires in California.

As mentioned in this AP article, these winds blow from California’s interior toward the Pacific Ocean, opposite the direction of the prevailing winds that blow off the waters. In the Northern Hemisphere, winds flow clockwise and descend around an area of low pressure. In this case, the high sets up over the Great Basin, sending winds through the mountains and toward the ocean. The air speeds up as it’s compressed within mountain passes, and it dries and accelerates as it descends toward the Pacific. In these conditions, a spark is all that’s needed to ignite fires.

As for the name, “A commonly accepted explanation is that the name is linked to Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County. Other theories persist, along with other nicknames such as ‘devil winds.’”