A pause in the fierce winds that super-charged the ring of wildfires that devastated Los Angeles this week helped crews make progress in bringing the infernos under control on Friday but strong gusts could return over the weekend,

Wildfires continued to grow Wednesday as fire crews battled three major out-of-control blazes that killed at least five people.

Red Flag Warnings remain in effect through Friday evening for much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the National Weather Service said.

Powerful Santa Ana winds are set to pick up again, making it challenging for firefighters to gain control of the severe wildfires in southern California. Meanwhile, a winter storm is bringing cold temperatures,

The devastating fires that have killed at least five people and forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of residents across the Los Angeles region are driven by Santa Ana winds that blow from the deserts of interior California and Nevada out to the Pacific Ocean.