Firefighters are hoping for a break from fierce winds fueling massive blazes in the Los Angeles area, killing 10 people, obliterating whole neighborhoods and setting the nation’s second-largest city on edge.

Life in Los Angeles: The fires erupted quickly, in a way residents knew was possible but many were unprepared for. Families of notable sports figures were among those evacuating, and the flames forced cancellations of Hollywood events while some celebrities’ homes burned down.

Firefighters finally started gaining control over two major wildfires on the eastern and western flanks of Los Angeles on Friday as fierce winds that supercharged the fires for days finally eased.