Strong Santa Ana winds are hitting fire-ravaged Los Angeles on Friday morning, but the winds will relax later in the day and the red flag warning will end Friday night.

Red Flag Warnings remain in effect through Friday evening for much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the National Weather Service said.

The devastating fires that have killed at least five people and forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of residents across the Los Angeles region are driven by Santa Ana winds that blow from the deserts of interior California and Nevada out to the Pacific Ocean.

Fresh off destructive wind and firestorms, the forecast remains daunting for Southern California with additional damaging Santa Ana wind threats and critical fire weather danger continuing at times over the next several days.

Although the strongest wind gusts have passed through the Southern California region, another "traditional Santa Ana wind event" will move in Thursday night.

As the reality of the destruction wrought by the Southern California firestorm continued coming to light, fire crews hoped to take advantage of slightly diminished winds to establish containment lines around the various blazes before more Santa Ana winds return to the region.