A damaging Santa Ana wind event was peaking early Wednesday and was expected to stay strong through early afternoon.

Extreme weather conditions are causing chaos throughout Southern California, including a 200-acre brush fire that erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, threatening residential areas in the wealthy enclave of homes.

The National Weather Service has warned of a life-threatening and destructive windstorm set to affect some of Southern California.

The high winds have fanned flames, causing wildfires to quickly explode in size, and at times made it hard for air support to aid fire crews on the ground.

Locations of “greatest concern” in the “life-threatening” and “destructive” windstorm include cities within Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

A week after the first fires began, the flames have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

Here are all the current wildfires burning in Southern California at a glance ... concern is for Highway 118 to the 210 corridor from Simi Valley to Claremont, NWS said. The strong gusts of ...

An unprecedented fourth "particularly dangerous situation" fire weather warning took effect Tuesday morning in Southern California and is expected to last through Wednesday.

The most serious red flag fire weather warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for swaths of Los Angeles and Ventura counties in California starting

If any fires start, there is potential for rapid growth. And with the Palisades and Eaton fires still burning, “these winds can definitely stir up some of those hot spots and kind of reignite the fires,” Kittell said. Winds could wax and wane throughout the alert period, forecasters caution.

Critical fire weather is expected to continue until Wednesday at the earliest, increasing the risk that fires will spread further.

The highest gusts, up to 70 mph, are forecast for the northern San Fernando Valley and eastern Ventura County.