STORY: The six simultaneous wildfires that have ripped across Los Angeles still threatened communities days later, in one of the worst disasters in the city's history.

The fierce Santa Ana winds that have fanned the flames will pick up through Wednesday, warned L.A. County fire chief Anthony Marrone.

"These winds, combined with low relative humidities, and low fuel moistures, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County very high."

Several people have died in the flames. With many more missing, the death toll is expected to rise.

Firefighters over the weekend managed to stem the eastward spread of the Palisades Fire - the largest blaze - which had edged towards the Brentwood neighborhood and San Fernando Valley.

Wide swaths of the Palisades have been scorched to the ground, with evacuation orders in effect in remaining areas, said L.A. City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley:

"There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public. There's no power, there's no water, there's broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures."

In Altadena, some progress was made on the Eaton Fire, the second-largest blaze - though it's management is still "a huge, Herculean task" according to one local official.

The two big fires combined have consumed more than 36,000 acres, or 56 square miles - 2-1/2 times the land area of Manhattan.

Officials have declared a public health emergency due to the thick, toxic smoke, with the flames carrying traces of metals, plastics and other synthetic materials.

President Joe Biden declared the fires a major disaster, clearing the way for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency - or FEMA - which said active duty military personnel would aid firefighting efforts.