Dry conditions remain in the Los Angeles area causing critical fire danger, but a chance of rain is in the forecast over the weekend.

Santa Ana winds will hit the Los Angeles area yet again this week, bringing extreme risk of rapid fire spread as the region continues to tamp out deadly wildfires that ignited under similar conditions earlier this month.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Hughes fire broke out in Castaic amidst the red flag warning, spreading to over 9,000 acres by Wednesday evening as dry and windy weather affected the area.

State and local officials held a news conference to update Angelenos on the status of the Hughes Fire. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone reported the blaze north of Los Angeles had grown to 9,

The dangerous fire conditions in Southern California are expected to last a little longer than previously anticipated. The red flag warning was set to expire at 2 p.m., but the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in an alert that it had been extended until 10 p.

A red flag warning was extended and is now in effect through Friday morning for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to extremely low humidity and offshore wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

PM PST, Orange County Inland, Riverside County Mountains, San Bernardino County Mountains, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills The red flag warnings for Southern California has been extended to Friday,