Meteorologist Todd Santos

Southern California is on fire! This was the headline at the finish of last weekend and was soon to prove itself to be an understatement.

To many across this country, the Santa Ana winds were a little-known, if not a previously unknown, quantity. Even to the many who were familiar with their effects across the Southwest, this most-recent fire outbreak has proven them to be a potentially catastrophic consequence of strong high pressure in the mountains.

PHOTOS: Viewer Photos Of California Wildfires

This weather pattern was simultaneously producing picture perfect sunny conditions in the Rockies and category two hurricane force wind gusts along the Southern California Mountains. Combine the fact that the air both dries out and warms up when descending from the higher elevations with even a tiny spark over dry brush and the recipe for disaster is fully in place.

The scale of these fires has been massive enough to be seen from space as noted in the two attached satellite pictures. The first is from Monday 10/22/07 where the fires were nearing their peak intensity with the offshore Santa Ana winds ferociously fanning the flames.

The second is a slightly closer in view on Wednesday afternoon, 10/24, following a massive assault from fire crews both on the ground and in the air. At this point, crews were gaining the upper hand while the gusty winds began to subside across the region. Thankfully the weather should continue to cooperate with fire crews working to return calm to the beautiful place so many people call home.

While the toll has been unimaginable for the millions of people directly affected by this event, situations such as these always have their way of highlighting the heroism of the men and women who selflessly motivate at a moments notice to help those in peril. Instead of detailing all of the countless negatives associated with such a massive wildfire I would like to take a moment to thank all those whose continuing efforts should make us all very proud to live in the “land of the free and home of the brave.”

Meteorologist…Todd Santos