A smattering of rain and easing temperatures have helped more than a thousand firefighters battling the largest wildfire in Los Angeles history gain the upper hand on the blaze, but officials warned that danger remains.
"We've turned the corner, but this is not over," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters on Sunday afternoon. "With winds this strong, anything can happen."
Shifting winds could cause burning embers to spread the fire once more through the rugged northern edge of Los Angeles, said Garcetti.
The nearly 2400-hectare La Tuna Fire, named after the canyon area where it erupted on Friday, has destroyed three homes and damaged one. More than 700 homes were evacuated as the blaze tore through thick brush that has not burned in decades.
Of the 1,400 people who evacuated from their homes, 90 per cent had returned by Sunday afternoon and Garcetti said nearly all would be back before the day was over.
The wildfire is the largest in terms of acreage in the city's history, Garcetti said. It was considered 15 per cent contained by Sunday afternoon, up from 10 per cent on Sunday morning.
"We do not have this fire contained," Garcetti said, "but we do have a good sense of, in the next day or two, how we can bring this fire to rest."
The stretch of the 210 freeway, a major thoroughfare that has been closed for several days, will reopen either Sunday night or Monday morning, Garcetti said.
