Firefighters were slowly making progress in their battle to contain the inferno that has razed swathes of Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades neighborhood to the ground, but still-spreading flames threatened communities in the populous San Fernando Valley on Sunday.

After a weekend of reprieve allowing fire teams to continue making progress battling the deadly infernos burning in Los Angeles County, Southern California now faces another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana winds.

"A strong Santa Ana Wind event is expected to develop Monday and last through at least Tuesday," the National Weather Service said.

By Chad Terhune and Rollo Ross LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Los Angeles officials told most evacuees from the wildfires on Thursday to stay away from their homes at least another week as emergency responders remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off electricity and gas lines posing a hazard amid the ruins.