The president has had harsh words for state and local leaders in California amid the deadly blazes. He recently suggested that any federal aid could come with strings.

By Thursday afternoon, most of the highway had reopened, many evacuees were able to return home and the blaze near Castaic Lake, a reservoir about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was 14 percent contained. The fire continued to burn away from homes in suburbs outside of Santa Clarita, and through woody hillsides at a state park.