California was hit hard by strong winds on Wednesday, contributing to a significant drop in humidity levels and heightening the wildfire threat throughout much of the region.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles updated its fire danger warnings, issuing a rare “particularly dangerous situation” alert due to the escalation of risks associated with wildfires.

Forecasts indicated that wind gusts could reach between 50 and 100 miles per hour (80.5 to 161.0 kph), with humidity plummeting to as low as 8%. As a result, certain areas of Southern California braced for conditions conducive to “extreme and life-threatening” fire activity, anticipated to persist into Thursday.

Officials across several counties cautioned residents, particularly those residing in coastal, valley, and mountain regions, to stay alert for rapidly spreading fires, potential power disruptions, and fallen trees due to the notorious Santa Ana winds.

Additionally, red flag warnings affecting wildfire risks have been extended until Thursday, covering regions from California’s central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area and extending into the northern counties.

In many regions, sustained winds of around 30 miles per hour (48 kph) are expected, with mountain areas seeing gusts surpassing 55 miles per hour (88.5 kph), as reported by the weather service office in San Francisco.

To mitigate risk, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. proactively shut off power for a limited number of customers starting late Tuesday in areas vulnerable to damage from high winds that could endanger electrical infrastructure and potentially ignite fires.

Similar preemptive power outages are also being considered in Southern California as a precautionary measure.