LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said the department has staffed all available resources and fire patrols and engines are being strategically placed in the high-fire risk areas of the city.

Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph in the mountains and 30 to 50 mph on the coasts and valleys are forecast for Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday. Residents exhausted by days of fire face red flag warnings with the rare "particularly dangerous situation" designation issued for those counties through Wednesday afternoon.

As firefighters struggle to gain control of massive and deadly wildfires that are raging across parts of the Los Angeles area, the region is once again bracing for the potential of new fires and for current ones to intensify as a new storm system heads for the state.

Red flag criteria is generally when relative humidity is at 15% or less, combined with sustained winds and/or gusts of 25 mph or greater. Both of these conditions must occur simultaneously for at least 3 hours in a 12 hour period, according to the NWS.

After two full days of anxiously fighting fires as if 70 mph gusts could descend at any moment, white-knuckling firefighters battling the Los Angeles wildfires got some good news Wednesday as most red flag warnings expired at 6 p.m. While the area was still abnormally dry, atmospheric humidity was on the way as soon as Thursday, forecasters said.

The windy, flame-fanning weather that put the nation's second most-populous metropolitan region on edge eased up Wednesday as firefighters made significant gains against the two massive wildfires burning around Los Angeles.