The fires come as San Diego County mountains and valleys, along with other parts of Southern California, remain under a red flag warning.

At least 27 people have died in the Eaton and Palisades fires, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said Thursday evening. Seventeen of the deaths are from the Eaton Fire in Altadena and 10 from the Palisades Fire, according to the medical examiner.

After a day of strong winds that helped fuel small scattered fires across Southern California, rain is on the horizon. In L.A. County, where the Palisades and Eaton fires have carved a devastating path this month,

A new wildfire expanded rapidly north of Los Angeles, growing to more than 5,000 acres and forcing more evacuations. Strong winds kept Los Angeles County on high alert. And some who lost their homes found themselves dealing with a new concern: having their identities stolen by criminals fraudulently applying for relief benefits.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Parched Southern California was forecast to face more dangerous winds on Wednesday but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, dampening the prospects of another round of deadly wildfires though even a small amount of precipitation could could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff.

Fire officials have deployed all available resources and prepositioned crews in fire-prone areas as much of Southern California remains under a red flag warning overnight. In a record fifth alert involving critical fire conditions this season,