As winds across the Southern California area are calmer than their peak and firefighters are making progress, the threat to the fire-weary region remains with Santa Ana winds expected to continue in the coming days.

Parched Southern California continued to face dangerous winds but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, forecasters said Tuesday, dampening the prospects of another round of killer wildfires though even a small amount of precipitation could could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff.

Firefighters in Southern California swiftly tackled several brush fires on Monday, as gusty Santa Ana winds swept across the region, exacerbating wildfire risks. The National Weather Service issued a "particularly dangerous situation" warning for parts of Los Angeles,