The region will remain at risk for new fires, officials warned, especially given expectations for low humidity on Thursday. The change in winds, though, is expected to reduce the short-term perils for Southern California and help firefighters continue their progress against the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Fire crews were also working to keep old fires from reigniting, and cleanup teams scrambled to restore access and services to neighborhoods where the fire had burned through. As crews worked to contain the fires, law enforcement officials warned of severe punishment for crimes, price gouging or scams targeting fire victims.

Here is what we’re covering:

• Containment updates: The Palisades fire, the largest in the area, has burned nearly 24,000 acres and was 19 percent contained on Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton fire covered more than 14,000 acres and was 45 percent contained. The Auto fire, which grew to more than 60 acres in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, was 85 percent contained. Emergency officials quickly quelled a 34-acre vegetation fire on Wednesday afternoon in San Bernardino County; no one was hurt, and no structures were destroyed. Track the fires here.

• Forecast: Forecasters predicted mountain areas and the Interstate 5 corridor could see gusts of up to 40 miles per hour into Thursday afternoon, and red-flag warnings remained in effect there. But winds are expected to ease in much of the area, creating better conditions for firefighters trying to gain control of the blazes. The relief is far from permanent: The National Weather Service said another wind event could begin early next week.

• Disinformation from abroad: Researchers say that social media accounts with ties to the Islamic State and the Russian and Iranian governments are contributing to the surge of false and exaggerated claims about the wildfires. Foreign disinformation campaigns have become commonplace in times of natural disasters.

• Safety advice: Here are some steps you can take to stay safe and seek government help in at-risk areas, including signing up for emergency alerts and packing a “go bag.” A health advisory for windblown ash and dust — which can be too large to register on air quality monitoring devices — was in effect until Wednesday evening.