Flames rise as a fire front approaches the Lake Casitas area on Friday near Ojai, California. Strong Santa Ana winds have been feeding major wildfires all week, destroying hundreds of houses and forcing tens of thousands of people to stay away from their homes. According to released statistics, six massive wild fires, burning from Santa Barbara county to San Diego county, had consumed more than 708.2 square kilometers last week and destroyed 793 structures. Brown said that the unusually forceful and sustained Santa Ana winds and a hot, dry fire season extending into Christmas in Southern California, have led to the widespread and devastating fires. The Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry downslope winds that originate inland and affect coastal Southern California in fall and winter.