The state is seeing a sharp water divide this year, with lots of rain in the north while the south has stayed dry. A hydrologist explains what’s happening.

Southern California is extremely dry right now, with huge portions of the region having seen less than a quarter-inch of rain in the last eight months. The landscape is parched and vegetation is withered, making the area dangerously susceptible to burning, an unusual situation for January.

After months of anticipation, La Niña has officially arrived, the Climate Prediction Center announced Thursday. But even before its official start, the precursors of La Niña had already set the stage for dangerous fire conditions in Southern California.

The three areas impacted by the raging wildfires have one thing in common: They sit at the edges of mountain regions the Santa Ana winds whip through.

Parched vegetation combined with strong Santa Ana winds and low relative humidity levels led to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County.

Strong Santa Ana winds are fueling multiple wildfires across Southern California, forcing thousands of residents to flee from their homes.