What Are the Santa Ana Winds That Are Helping to Fuel the Palisades Fire? NYT | Top Stories By: Camille Baker 8 January 2025 at 08:37 The winds are common in California in the colder months, but they can sometimes help spread dangerous wildfires. © David Swanson/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesThe Santa Ana winds have the potential to create life-threatening weather conditions like the Palisades Fire that was burning in California on Tuesday.