Colder weather, bringing rain and possibly snow, proved a boost to firefighters trying to control the worst of Southern California's wildfires that have became the state's worst fire-related disaster.
The relentless week-long inferno, raging from north of Los Angeles to the Mexican border, has destroyed more than 2,500 homes and killed 20 people including a fire-fighter. The 10 major fires have charred about 730,000 acres, or 1,125 square miles - an area slightly smaller than the US state of Rhode Island.
California Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the destruction caused by the so-called Old Fire, which ravaged resort communities in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Mr Schwarzenegger, who takes office on November 17th and inherits a state in deep financial trouble, declined to comment on whether the need to fund disaster recovery would prompt him to raise taxes.
"We are right now in middle of the situation so I'm not making any decisions," he told reporters at the San Bernardino airport after touring the damage by plane. "We have to see how can we stop this fire. One has to assess all that."
Mr Schwarzenegger and outgoing Governor Gray Davis will tour the fires together "to show our solidarity," he said. Yesterday, Mr Davis visited three firefighters injured while trying to defend the historic town of Julian in San Diego County from being overrun by flames. Their colleague, 38-year-old Steven Rucker, died in the incident on Wednesday.
By last night, temperatures had dropped 20 degrees from the weekend and forecasters expected the cold, moist front to last at least three days. The focus turned to the devastating aftermath of the second most costly wildfire in California history, with insurance claims likely to reach more than $1 billion in uninsured losses.
Tens of thousands of people were without homes - either because of mandatory evacuations or because their homes had been burned to the ground or made uninhabitable. Many have spent nights sleeping in their cars, others have camped out with friends and some are living in tents set up at rescue centres.