FIREFIGHTERS made more progress yesterday against a giant wildfire that has ravaged a national forest north of Los Angeles, with another day of co-operative weather a big help to beleaguered fire crews.

Firefighters reported progress today against a gigantic blaze on the edge of Los Angeles that might herald even greater dangers ahead.

A RELENTLESS southern California wildfire raged yesterday with 53 homes up in smoke, thousands more threatened and new rounds of evacuations as towering flames crackled close to foothill neighbourhoods in the path of the blaze.

Firefighters today revealed they were finally ’optimistic’ in their struggle to contain huge wildfires in southern California.

A wildfire in the mountains above Los Angeles has surged in every direction, going in a single day from a modest threat to a danger to some 10,000 homes.