Calmer California winds help firefighters beat back two blazes

The wildfires led to evacuations (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Calmer weather has allowed firefighters to beat back twin blazes that drove nearly 100,000 Southern California residents from their homes amid fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.

Authorities lifted some evacuation orders on Tuesday as winds began subsiding and containment was increased for the massive wildfires in brushy hills above cities in Orange County on the west coast of the US.