The strongest winds in more than a decade could hit Southern California, potentially causing structural damage and bringing extreme fire risk to areas that haven’t seen substantial rain in months.

Wind speeds: The National Weather Service has issued wind warnings and alerts across much of Southern California. In L.A. and Ventura counties, sustained winds of 35 to 50 mph are expected, while gusts of 50 to 80 mph are possible. In some windy corridors, winds up to 100 mph are possible.

Forecasters warned that a significant Santa Ana wind event this week could help wildfires spread quickly and erratically. Utility companies said they may pre-emptively cut off power to some customers.