A surfer rides a big wave in Sunset Beach on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / January 20, 2014)

January 21, 2014, 10:00 p.m.

Big waves pounded Southern California beaches on Tuesday, and inland areas recorded record high temperatures, according to forecasters.

In Ventura County, waves up to 10 feet hit area beaches, according to the National Weather Service. In Orange County, Huntington Beach saw sets of 4 to 6 feet, according to the Surfline wave report

The waves are expected to get smaller beginning Wednesday morning before a new swell arrives on Friday.

On Tuesday, the hottest spot in the nation was Camarillo in Ventura County, which topped out at 84 degrees. That tied a daily record that was set last year, the Weather Service said.

The agency said Burbank also set a record for the month of January with nine straight days of temperatures of 80 degrees or warmer. Temperatures were expected to cool slightly over the next couple of days.

Extreme fire danger is possible on Thursday and Friday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the Weather Service. Northeast winds up to 45 mph could blow across the area, and relative humidity could be between 8 and 15%.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Tuesday that fire watches had been declared for areas of Northern and Southern California. The watches signify high fire danger but are not as critical as red flag warnings.

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Big waves hit beaches as record highs reported in inland areas