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Later on Thursday afternoon evacuation orders for some communities affected by the Palisades fire and Eaton fire were lifted – more than one week after they were first ordered.
Authorities said that residents must prove their residency with a government-issued ID in order to be allowed in to the affected areas. They also advise that residents wear protective clothing, including gloves and a mask, and to avoid contact with potentially toxic ash.
“Returning after a fire can be overwhelming,” the Altadena Sheriff’s Station said in a recent Facebook post that offered advice for returning evacuees.
“Take breaks, reach out to loved ones, and consider talking to a counselor or support group if needed.”
Red flag warnings have been lifted by the National Weather Service (NWS), but could return in a few days.
Fire warnings remain critical, with parts of southern California continuing to see an elevated risk despite the weakening winds and rising humidity, says BBC Weather forecaster Paul Goddard.
There is no rain forecast for California over the next week.
Officials are keeping an eye on the Santa Ana winds, which have been blamed for stoking the blazes. The winds are forecast to return early next week, bringing a high risk of further red flag warnings.
Winds could bring gusts of 30-50mph (48-80km/h).
The Palisades Fire, the largest, has seen no growth as firefighters work to contain the flames, according to Jim Hudson, a Cal Fire incident manager.
It has burned 24,000 acres to date and is more than 20% contained as of Thursday morning.
“I am hoping that as the winds subside, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel and individuals can get their lives back on track to recovery and rebuild,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on Thursday.
But there is still plenty of risk to the area, even as firefighters make progress.
Mr Hudson added that 5,100 personnel had been assigned to contain the blaze.
