Firefighters in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles are making good progress in their battle against a brush fire that forced thousands of people to evacuate.

Evacuation orders have been lifted for tens of thousands of people as firefighters with air support have slowed the spread of a huge wildfire churning through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles where dangerous winds gained strength again.

It could be a week or more before homeowners in the Los Angeles area are allowed to check on their fire-damaged properties.

Los Angeles County has dropped a plan to impose a universal indoor mask mandate this week as COVID-19 infections and rates of hospitalizations have stabilized.

Public health officials said Monday that the state will return to a system of county-by-county restrictions intended to stem the spread of the virus. The turnaround puts California in a starkly different place than it was last month, when some Southern California hospitals overwhelmed by virus patients were crafting emergency plans for rationing care. Newsom crafted the stay-at-home order in December as coronavirus cases worsened and in anticipation of surges from holiday gatherings. The lifting of the stay-at-home order allows restaurants to serve diners outdoors and places of worship to offer services outside. Public health experts had mixed views on the state's decision to lift the order.

That determination outraged Fullers family, who said authorities were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a crime. Following Fullers death, more than 1,000 people attended a peaceful protest and memorial around the tree where his body was found. The sheriff acknowledged the outcry that transpired after Fullers death and called for county officials to fund more mental health initiatives and housing. A week after Fullers death, his half-brother, Terron J. Boone, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies. Authorities said Thursday that detectives do not believe Boones case is related to Fullers death.