Officials expect high winds to kick up again early on Wednesday - as a 25th death is confirmed in the US disaster.

Since the first flames sparked in the Santa Ana winds on January 7, at least 16 have been confirmed dead, 12,000 structures have been destroyed, and over 150,000 residents have been ordered to leave their homes.

Fire crews quickly extinguished new blazes, but the largest ones are far from fully contained. Forecasters say a new round of fierce winds could blow through the area again.

The death toll from the fires burning in Los Angeles County increased to at least 25 on Tuesday, according to officials, as dangerous winds were expected to blow into Wednesday.

Easing winds delivered a brief but much-needed reprieve to firefighters Tuesday as they battled two massive blazes burning in the Los Angeles area, and the National Weather Service pushed back its unusually dire warning of critical fire weather until early the following day.