Santa Ana winds are whipping Southern California on Tuesday, sparking fresh fears that progress made fighting wildfires that have scorched over 40,000 acres and left 27 dead could be reversed and more blazes could break out.

Winds have picked up and are expected to continue through Tuesday morning, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking

The NWS San Diego CA issued a high wind watch at 2:41 a.m. on Wednesday valid for Thursday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The watch is for San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, San Diego County Inland Valleys,

At least 27 people have died in the Eaton and Palisades fires, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Thursday evening. Seventeen of the deaths are from the Eaton Fire in Altadena and 10 from the Palisades Fire, according to the medical examiner.

The death toll from wildfires raging near Los Angeles has risen to 28, authorities said Tuesday, as new fires prompted evacuations near San Diego.