US President George W Bush is visiting tour fire-stricken California, as at least five people were confirmed dead from the wildfires.
Around 18 separate blazes have so far destroyed 1,400 homes and displaced 500,000 people in the western US state.
A lull in winds that have fuelled the flames offered firefighters some respite today to the fires which have caused an estimated $1bn in damage and scorched 182,500 hectares of land.
'It's a sad situation out there in Southern California. I fully understand that the people have got a lot of anguish in their hearts. They just need to know a lot of folks care about them,' Mr Bush said upon leaving the White House.
Mr Bush's prompt trip to some the hardest-hit areas comes in stark contrast to his reaction to the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.
Although weaker winds allowed firefighters to make significant inroads into several blazes yesterday, the two biggest fires raging in the region were still only slightly contained.
A total of 45,600 homes remain threatened by the flames, according to figures from California's Office of Emergency Services.
Some 10,000 firefighters, including 2,600 prison inmates trained to tackle fires, are battling the flames supported by dozens of firefighting aircraft.
The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that in addition to those confirmed dead, 40 people had so far been injured in the fires.
