Wildfires devastating Los Angeles grow more slowly as fierce winds die down [Video]

The two biggest fires devastating the Los Angeles area grew just slightly Friday as firefighters beat back the blazes that have killed at least 10 people, obliterated neighbourhoods and left the nation’s second-largest city on edge.

Officials expressed optimism that a break from the punishing winds stoking the flames will allow firefighters to make headway on the fires that have burned an area bigger than San Francisco and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and other structures since Tuesday.

“These fires are not out, though today we’re going to make a lot of progress,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

Metropolitan LA and its 13 million residents, who haven’t seen rain in more than eight months, woke up Friday to another day of strong winds and the threat of new flareups. The gusts were expected to diminish by evening, however, and already have died down from earlier in the week, when hurricane-force winds blew embers that ignited hillsides.

But …