An intense Santa Ana wind event, California’s second this week, is expected to bring “extremely critical” fire weather and put much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties in a “particularly dangerous situation” for risky wildfire weather from late Tuesday through Friday, forecasters said.

The weather pattern has prompted various warnings in Northern and Southern California for high winds that could damage trees and lead to power outages, dangerous weather conditions that could help fires burn out of control, and sea conditions that could capsize boats. The worst is expected in Southern California.

Although several wind events have affected the state in recent weeks, the current system is among the strongest yet, said Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.

It is not uncommon, especially in the Los Angeles area, for a red flag warning to be issued when there is low humidity, dry fuels and strong winds that could exacerbate any wildfires. But the language in Tuesday’s warning is among the strongest that forecasters use; they are rare in red flag warnings and are typically used every three to five years, according to the Weather Service’s Los Angeles office. That office in particular has used that description only twice before, both times for warnings in 2020.

Warnings alone aren’t a prediction that a wildfire will occur, but they suggest that the weather conditions are primed to help any fires that spark grow more quickly.