Critical fire weather is expected to continue until Wednesday at the earliest, increasing the risk that fires will spread further.

After a weekend of reprieve allowing fire teams to continue making progress battling the deadly infernos burning in Los Angeles County, Southern California now faces another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana winds.

As Santa Ana winds returned to Southern California, residents and first responders braced for another day of critical fire weather.

The winds will come and go, with the strongest gusts expected early next week, especially next Monday night and into Tuesday, forecasters said.

Forecasters in Southern California expect to issue a 'particularly dangerous situation' red flag warning for the coming week as the Santa Ana wind forecast worsens.

The Palisades fire — which has invaded Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Topanga and Mandeville canyons — was 65% contained as of Tuesday evening. Firefighters inched further on the Eaton fire — which has caused destruction in Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre — achieving 89% containment, according to Cal Fire.

Extreme fire conditions remain in the Southern California region as the next set of high winds have prompted ... the San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu Coast, Ventura County valleys ...

Gusts of up to 70 mph are possible along the coast and valleys, and in the mountains, up to 100 mph, the National Weather Service said. Parts of L.A. County, and most of Ventura County, are at highest risk.

The Santa Ana winds are forecast to batter Southern California again, fuelling dangerous fire conditions over the next few days.

Even as Santa Ana winds continued to blast parts of the Southland, threatening to spark new fires or re-ignite old ones, local authorities turned their attention Wednesday to the possibility of rain hitting the area this weekend and potentially triggering mud or debris flows in recent burn areas.

Thanks to the Israeli Consulate and other groups, a team of firefighting experts from Israel flew in last week and immediately joined local forces.