SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY TO A BURN ZONE. THIS MORNING A SMALL STREAM OF EVACUATED RESIDENTS RETURNING TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE FIRST TIME. >> AS WE DROVE INTO THE HOUSE, AND I SAW. AND I THOUGHT OF ALL THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO BACK, I STARTED TO CRY. >> Reporter: IF FIREFIGHTERS STEADILY INCREASING CONTROL OVER THE PALISADES AND EATON FIRES, THE REGION IS SLOWLY BUT STEADILY TURNING TO THE NEXT STEPS, EVEN PREPARING FOR WHAT MAY HAPPEN WHEN THE RAIN FINALLY RETURNS. IF YOU WERE IN A FIRE EVACUATION ZONE, IS THERE A LIKELY CHANCE YOU WILL BE EVACUATED COME RAINY SEASON FROM MUD SLIDES.
>> THERE IS A VERY LIKELY CHANCE. >> Reporter: THIS HOME SPARED BY THE FIRE NOW SPLIT IN HALF AFTER OFFICIALS SAY A WATER LEAK CAUSED A SCORCHED HILLSIDE TO GIVE WAY. A GRIMM EXAMPLE ON WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON HILLSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE MASSIVE BURN AREA. >> THE HOUSES IN THE BURN SCAR ARE THE MOST PRONE, MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THERE BEING A MUD SLIDE OR DEBRIS FLOW AROUND THEM. >> Reporter: WHILE CITY OFFICIALS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT BRASS HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED, NO ONE IS QUESTIONING THE BRAVERY OF FIREFIGHTERS ON THE FRONT LINES, MANY SERVING OTHERS WHILE THEIR OWN HOMES WERE IN JEOPARDY. THE WINDS FUELLING THE EATON FIRE WERE TOO MUCH TO STOP. >> I WAS JUST OVERWHELMED. >> Reporter: WITH THE ROAD HOME GONE, THE FAMILY RETURNED THE NEXT DAY AND PITCHED IN TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBORS. ALONG WITH THE TRAUMA AND PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF LOSING THEIR FAMILY HOME, HE SAYS IT IS HARD ON FIREFIGHTERS LIKE HIM TO ASK FOR HELP.
>> I'M JUST SO USED TO BEING THE ONE COMING AND ASKING, HOW CAN I HELP YOU. AND NOW BEING THE ONE LEADING THAT SERVICE IS JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. >> Reporter: IN A CAREER SPEND HELPING OTHERS, SOME OF THE CITY'S BRAVEST NOW COPING WITH THE FIRESTORM THEY FOUGHT TO STOP. AND AS SO MANY TRY TO FIGURE OUT THEIR NEXT STEPS, REENFORCEMENTS CONTINUE TO POUR IN ON THE FIRE FRONT. AT LAST CHECK, MORE THAN 5,000 FIREFIGHTERS HAVE NOW CONVERGED ON THE LOS ANGELES AREA, AND THEIR WORK, SAVANNAH, UNFORTUNATELY FAR FROM OVER. WE HAVE .