Southern California is braced for "extremely critical fire conditions" caused by a new period of Santa Ana winds of up to 50 mph.

Should that happen, already burned homes and valleys could flare anew, sending embers to unburned territory miles downwind.

Additional water tankers and scores of firefighters arrived at the Los Angeles area on Monday ahead of fierce winds that were forecast to return and threaten the progress made so far on two massive infernos that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

A number of Republicans are calling for conditions to any federal aid that goes to California as the state struggles with catastrophic wildfires.

Top Republicans in the U.S. Congress are considering imposing conditions on disaster aid to Los Angeles communities devastated by wildfires, after President-elect Donald Trump claimed that state and local officials had mishandled the situation.

Republican lawmakers from states that have been devastated by natural disasters don't exactly love the idea of withholding aid to California.