When the air is warm and dry, transpiration and evaporation also suck water out of the plants and soil. That leaves dry vegetation that can provide fuel for flying embers to spread wildfires, as the Los Angeles area saw in early January.

Here's a look at the latest maps of the five active Southern California wildfires and what containment means when it comes to fighting fires.

Extreme weather conditions in Southern California fueled by ferocious Santa Ana winds have created at least seven wildfires, leading to at least seven deaths, multiple injuries, 180,000 mandatory evacuations,

The Hurst Fire has set 505 acres ablaze near San Fernando, California in the Sylmar neighborhood, according to Cal Fire. It is 0% contained. The cause of the fire, which was discovered on Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m., remains under investigation, according to the department.

Tens of thousands of residents were under evacuation warnings as several major wildfires continue to burn through the Los Angeles area on Wednesday.

The smoke was expected to most heavily affect northwest coastal LA County, and in areas nearest the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst wildfires.

The Eaton Fire was first reported around 6:30 p.m. local time near the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, according to KTTV and CBS News. It has since set 1,000 acres ablaze and remains at 0% containment, according to Cal Fire.