Cooler, damper weather is beginning to help firefighters tackling over 10 wildfires in Southern California.

However the light rain in the San Bernardino mountains has also been accompanied by new winds of up to 60 miles an hour which are helping to fan the flames in many regions.

The damage toll caused by the fires now includes 729,000 acres consumed by fire and more than 3,100 houses burned down. 20 people, including one firefighter, have died although officials have warned that this number is likely to increase as the fires pass and burned areas are surveyed.

Firefighters are clearing brush and trees to create breaks where they hope to contain the flames and save many small towns currently being threatened.

Weather forecasters reported that one-hundredth of an inch of rain fell on Thursday at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, the first measurable precipitation in six months.

Yesterday, Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger cut short a visit to Washington to return to California and tour those areas that have been badly hit by the fires.