Santa Ana winds are no joke when it comes to fueling wildfires in Southern California. These fierce desert gusts, which sweep down from the mountains into Los Angeles, have been behind some of the region’s most devastating blazes. In fact, about 90% of the area burned by fall and winter wildfires in Southern California since 1950 has been linked to these winds.

High winds are the biggest factor in determining whether wildfires destroy homes and structures in the area, even more than dry weather or dense vegetation. This raises a critical question: How can Los Angeles better prepare for these relentless, wind-driven fires?

Unlike other parts of California, where wildfires are often tied to dry conditions or the overlap of human settlements and wild areas, Southern California’s fires are heavily influenced by wind patterns. Experts say these winds follow specific corridors, blasting through canyons and hillsides every year, mostly during cooler months.

So, what can be done? One key idea is for power companies to improve how and where they shut off electricity during high-risk times. This could prevent many fires from starting in the first place. Meanwhile, development in wind-prone areas needs better regulation. While California already has fire-resistant building standards for individual homes, there’s a lack of community-wide planning to keep neighborhoods safe from flammable brush or to ensure safe evacuations.

The Santa Ana winds are both predictable and unpredictable. Forecasters can track their general patterns, but pinpointing exactly where they’ll be strongest or where fires will ignite is tricky. This month’s fires, for example, hit areas like Altadena, Burbank, and Glendale—places not typically known for wind-driven blazes.

Firefighters, however, are familiar with the wind corridors and know which areas are most at risk. California also designates “fire hazard severity zones” based on factors like wind patterns, terrain, and vegetation. Homes in these zones are built to higher fire-resistant standards.

Still, some experts argue that the state’s approach doesn’t fully account for regional differences. In Southern California, where winds play a bigger role in spreading fires, managing vegetation may not be enough. As one former firefighter put it, the real question is whether rebuilding in these high-risk areas is wise.

“We know these areas will burn again,” he said. “We can’t keep putting people in harm’s way.”