The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned over 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures.

For the latest updates on the LA and San Diego fires, follow USA TODAY's coverage for Wednesday, Jan. 22. SAN DIEGO — Multiple wildfires broke out in San Diego County on Tuesday, prompting evacuation orders,

"A strong Santa Ana Wind event is expected to develop Monday and last through at least Tuesday," the National Weather Service said.

Southern California will continue to face "dangerous fire weather conditions" including strong Santa Ana winds and extremely low humidity through later this week, forecasters said Tuesday.

Santa Ana winds finally delivered a big, direct hit on San Diego County Tuesday, gusting as high as 102 mph in the backcountry where a touch of long-overdue rain could arrive this weekend.

A wind-driven wildfire charred dozens of acres in the sparsely developed northeastern reaches of San Diego County, damaging structures and forcing pre-dawn evacuations before crews could gain the upper hand on the flames Wednesday.

With the strongest gusts expected on Tuesday, extreme fire condition threats will prevail until midweek, L.A.-area fire chiefs say.

Much of inland San Diego County was whipped yet again by a strong Santa Ana wind event Monday into Tuesday, contributing to risky fire conditions as the region remains bone-dry.

Just a few years after the ozone hole was detected via satellite, the industrialized nations of the world, meeting in Montreal in 1987, adopted what is known as the Montreal Protocol.

Meteorologists said there was a chance the winds would be as severe as those that fueled the Palisades and Eaton fires, but that different locations would likely be affected.

The Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up again this week, making the Palisades and Eaton fires, among others, more difficult to contain as they continue to rage in Southern California.