Firefighters scrambled to corral a fast-moving wildfire in the Los Angeles hillsides dotted with celebrity homes as a "life-threatening, destructive" windstorm hit Southern California, fanning the blaze seen for miles while roads were clogged with cars as residents tried to flee.

The winds are common in California in the colder months, but they can sometimes help spread dangerous wildfires.

Santa Ana winds are dry, warm gusts originating in California’s interior, driven by high-pressure systems. They intensify through mountain passes, spreading wildfires, toppling trees, and creating hazardous conditions during cooler months.