With the strongest gusts expected on Tuesday, extreme fire condition threats will prevail until midweek, L.A.-area fire chiefs say.

After a brief break on Sunday afternoon, another prolonged round of gusty Santa Ana winds is expected to develop, forecasters say.

Santa Ana winds occur when air flows west from a region of high pressure over the dry Great Basin to lower pressure off the California coast, According to Accuweather. As that cool interior air flows over and through mountain passes, it accelerates, sinks and compresses.

At least five wildfires are ravaging Southern California, and the three largest have already killed at least five people, burned tens of thousands of acres and prompted the evacuation of an estimated 179,

High wind warnings are in place until 2 p.m. for the San Gabriel Mountains and western Santa Monica Mountains, with gusts of 60 mph or more. A wind advisory was also in effect Sunday in the Santa Clarita and western valleys of LA County, and the eastern Santa Monica Mountains to the Malibu coast, where wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph were expected.

Another wave of Santa Ana winds arrive Saturday, likely generating gusts over 40 mph throughout the Inland Empire going into Sunday.