Firefighters are making progress, officials said, but residents must be ready for a return of powerful winds that could spread flames.

Santa Ana winds have died down across the Greater Los Angeles area, helping firefighters to bring almost 40,000 acres of ongoing wildfires under control.

By Jorge Garcia and Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Firefighters on Wednesday confronted persistently strong and dry winds fueling two giant wildfires that have terrified Los Angeles for eight days,