Fire-weary Southern California was buffeted on Monday by dangerous winds, with forecasters warning of an 'extremely critical' risk in a region already staggering from the devastation of horrifying blazes this month.

Another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana winds is lashing Southern California after a brief weekend reprieve helped crews make more progress battling the deadly infernos in Los Angeles County.

Forecasters warn that dangerous winds will buffet Southern California for at least two more days as new wildfires broke out and a pair of major Los Angeles-area blazes burned for a third week.