Dangerous Santa Ana winds are expected to return to the Los Angeles area this week, potentially fueling the growth of new and existing wildfires, according to FOX Weather.

National Weather Service offices across Southern California are warning residents of an increase in weather conditions that are conducive to rapid fire growth. Meteorologists are most concerned about conditions from Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning when winds will be at their peak and relative humidity will be low.

At least five wildfires are ravaging Southern California, and the three largest have already killed at least five people, burned tens of thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of an estimated 179,

Multiple counties in Southern California were under red flag warnings from the NWS early Monday, with the service warning of yet another round of Santa Ana winds.

The ferocious Santa Ana winds that helped fuel the deadly wildfires around Los Angeles are forecast to ease later Wednesday, but they may return.

Santa Ana winds are caused by strong high pressure over the Great Basin region of the West creating a pressure gradient that amps up winds through the mountains, foothills and sometimes valleys of Southern California. In this case, the winds are getting a major boost from a strong upper-level low pushing southward across the state.

The winds will come and go, with the strongest gusts expected early next week, especially next Monday night and into Tuesday, forecasters said.

Now, Santa Ana winds are expected to sweep through the area early next week, accompanied by low humidity, meaning more potentially dangerous fire conditions. Here's what to expect over the weekend and into next week.

In recent days, however, the region’s powerful Santa Ana winds—which have been fanning the flames—have begun to slow down. This lull has offered firefighters a reprieve and a key opportunity to make progress against the blazes, but forecasts suggest the Santa Ana will return next week. What are these gusts, and how have they become so strong?

At least 24 people are believed to be dead and many more injured as several fires broke out across Southern California amid historically dry and windy conditions.

The winds fueling Southern California wildfires form when a high-pressure system develops over the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada