Strong Santa Ana winds are fueling multiple wildfires across Southern California, forcing thousands of residents to flee from their homes.

Updating maps of Southern California show where wildfires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, are burning across Los Angeles.

Cal Fire’s total base wildfire protection budget has nearly tripled over the past 10 years, from $1.1 billion in 2014‑15 to $3 billion in 2023‑24.

Fueled by powerful winds and dry conditions, a series of ferocious wildfires erupted last week and roared across the Los Angeles area.

Just over $100 million was cut from California's wildfire and forest resilience fund in the latest budget, though total spending has grown sharply since 2014.

Evacuation orders were initially issued for one zone, but several more were quickly ordered to flee as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

In a state that averages more than 7,500 wildfires a year some California homeowners keep helmets and fire hoses handy. However, the Los Angeles fires demonstrate a new reality: Wildfires in the state are growing larger and more ferocious and burning into suburbs and cities more often, experts told USA TODAY.

Here’s a basic glossary to terms used to describe wildland fires, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group: Containment, normally expressed as a percentage, indicates how much of the fire has been enclosed by a control line. A wildfire with 25% containment means control lines have been completed around 25% of the fire’s perimeter.

Misinformation about Oregon fire trucks being denied entry into California to fight wildfires has been debunked by The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Accounts impersonating CAL FIRE are showing up on social media platforms. These accounts are also soliciting donations from the public.

Responding to such reports, the California Fire Facts website states that "the number of CalFIRE [California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ... funding for wildfire and forest ...

California is years behind in implementing a 2020 law aiming to make it harder for homes to burn during a wildfire.