Fears over return of fire-friendly weather in Northern California

Deer wander among homes and vehicles destroyed by the Dixie Fire in the Greenville community of Plumas County (AP)

Thick smoke is beginning to clear from the forests of Northern California as firefighters battling the largest single wildfire in state history braced for a return of fire-friendly weather.

The winds are not expected to reach the ferocious speeds that helped the Dixie Fire grow to a vast size in the US state last week.