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

In recent days, however, the region’s powerful Santa Ana winds—which have been fanning the flames—have begun to slow down. This lull has offered firefighters a reprieve and a key opportunity to make progress against the blazes, but forecasts suggest the Santa Ana will return next week. What are these gusts, and how have they become so strong?

Dangerous Santa Ana winds are expected to return to the Los Angeles area this week, potentially fueling the growth of new and existing wildfires, according to FOX Weather.

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.

The winds fueling Southern California wildfires form when a high-pressure system develops over the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada

So far, the strongest winds recorded during the fires were around 100 miles per hour, which is considered hurricane-force strength. The strong Santa Ana winds are still expected to remain throughout the week, which is not ideal for the ongoing fight to contain the fires.

Forecasters expect strong Santa Ana winds to return to the Los Angeles area this week with gusts up to 70 miles an hour in some places, putting firefighters in a race against time to control massive blazes that have killed 24 people and destroyed more than 12,

A "Particularly Dangerous Situation" warning remains in effect as strong winds cause extreme fire danger in Southern California.

With gusts reaching over 93 miles per hour, these winds are the main culprits behind the fierce spread of fires in Los Angeles.

Luna said they are actively searching for 23 adults, 17 of whom have gone missing in the Eaton Fire, which ravaged the Angeles National Forest and Altadena area of Los Angeles County and Pasadena. Six others are still missing in Malibu, the sheriff said.

Powerful Santa Ana winds are returning to the Los Angeles area this week, worrying officials as they work to contain multiple large wildfires.