Strong Santa Ana winds are fueling multiple wildfires across Southern California, forcing thousands of residents to flee from their homes.

Forecasters say weaker winds will hit on Saturday night and Sunday, and that there will be no relief until the county gets rain.

The Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index is warning Southern Californians of high risk conditions this week. Winds will increase on Tuesday, likely peaking Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, then weakening some on Thursday. It will be critically dry, and fire danger will be high. Be prepared.

The Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires covered more than 5,600 acres of Southern California as of Wednesday morning. Tens of thousands were under mandatory evacuation orders but the fires increased in size overnight, helped by the blustery Santa Ana winds.

The fires devastating California are exacerbated by warm winds similar to what Alberta experiences, which is a risk the Calgary Fire Department prepares for.

On Tuesday, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District's (SMMUSD) four Malibu schools closed due to red flag warnings and power shutoffs in the area. The ongoing Santa Ana winds prompted the closures. This included Webster Elementary, Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle School and Malibu High School.

Santa Ana winds in Southern California are often-fierce winds that topple power lines and trees and can turn a spark into a raging wildfire.

Friday, 4:50 p.m. PST Cal Fire reported 31% containment on the 23,713-acre Palisades Fire, meaning firefighters now have control of about one-third of the perimeter of the fire; Cal Fire also reported 65% containment for the Eaton Fire and full containment of the Auto and Hurst fires.

Much of Southern California is under a red flag warning through Wednesday with more strong winds in the forecast.