High winds that weather officials have called "life-threatening and destructive" are hitting Southern California Tuesday, sparking a major brush fire in Pacific Palisades and prompting thousands of power outages.

The Santa Ana winds occur when there is high pressure to the east, in the Great Basin, and a low-pressure system off the coast. Air masses move from high pressure to low pressure, and the more extreme the difference in the pressure, the faster the winds blow. Topography also plays a role.

While the cause of each blaze has yet to be determined, all burned in or near foothill communities amid gusty winds and dry air and vegetation.

CalFire and other responding agencies are providing interactive online tools for the public to stay updated on the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and other wildfires that have erupted during the Santa Ana wind event in Southern California.

The damage the Southern California wildfires have inflicted in the Los Angeles area so far is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars. New Clark City is being built from scratch to withstand extreme weather.