Forecasters expect Wednesday will be noticeably windier than Tuesday and firefighters warned that vegetation is critically dry.

Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph in the mountains and 30 to 50 mph on the coasts and valleys are forecast for Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday. Residents exhausted by days of fire face red flag warnings with the rare "particularly dangerous situation" designation issued for those counties through Wednesday afternoon.

Here's a guide to understanding "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warnings, containment, and other terms related to the devastating fires that have left much of the LA area in ruins.