Firefighters gain on California blazes but worry about wind forecast

Firefighters made headway Sunday against three wildfires burning across Southern California but worried about a forecast for hot winds.

A 1,045-acre fire in Burbank was 67 percent contained after firefighters were aided by cooler, overnight breezes, said Capt. Ron Bell of the Burbank Fire Department.

Residents returned to about 70 evacuated homes in Sunset Canyon. But firefighters were concerned about a forecast for warmer winds that could bring 50 mph gusts and re-ignite what appeared to be a "cold mountain," Bell said.

"A little wind could blow those embers into the green and then we'd be starting from scratch," Bell said. "Things look excellent today, and we will be very aggressive. But the wind event is our biggest 'what if' right now."

Crews were kept at the scene a little longer and positioned near homes that could be threatened if the winds kicked up.

Elsewhere, more than 1,000 emergency personnel battled a blaze in steep, rugged terrain in and around San Bernardino National Forest, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles.

The 935-acre fire was 72 percent contained Sunday but had the potential to flare up in windy conditions because of dead trees and grass in the area, according to the U.S. Forest Service, reports the AP.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Jason Hurd told CNN Saturday that if weather conditions continue to be favorable, firefighters will halt the fire's spread by Monday at 6 p.m. (9 p.m. ET).

All evacuation orders have been lifted.

As the fire grew, 3,000 firefighters from Ventura County, Los Angeles County and city, the California Department of Forestry and the National Park Service worked 12-hour shifts.

Some 1,600 firefighters were fighting the Topanga fire Sunday, informs CNN.

P.T.