Santa Ana winds can bring disruptive impacts to daily life in Los Angeles and parts of southern California, but when coupled with wildfires they can escalate the situation rapidly, causing the fires to take hold and spread at great speed.

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.

High-speed winds this week have the potential to knock over semitrucks and cause other hazardous driving situations. Here's what to know.