President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture says efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to fight wildfires in California shouldn’t be influenced by politics

Fire crews are battling a swiftly growing blaze dubbed the Hughes Fire burning near Interstate 5 in Castaic, in the northern part of Los Angeles County.

At least 28 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires rage across Southern California.

Cooler, wet weather is forecast to bring moisture to the parched landscape and reduce the fire threat. But heavy rainfall could also trigger flash floods in burn scars.

Experts told NBC News that Southern California and other vulnerable areas need a transformational shift in mindset away from heavy reliance on firefighters to control blazes.

The Mark Twain Veteran Crew is a U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighting group whose members all have prior military experience.

Exhausted firefighters battling deadly infernos for weeks are now grappling with more wildfires torching Southern California – including one that’s threatening 14,000 structures.

A total of 20 Mainers will spend two weeks providing relief in southern California, where resources have been stretched thin due to the magnitude of the ongoing fires.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

As Southern California continues to battle wildfires, relief could soon be on the way to prevent future fires. Central Valley Congressman David Valadao helped pass the

Firefighters are battling a new brush fire that erupted in San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border, as they also race to contain the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake.