Thanks to cooler temperatures and heavy rainfall over the weekend, crews battling the monstrous "Mountain Fire" in southern California were able to make significant progress in containing the blaze, enabling thousands of evacuees in local communities to be allowed to return to their homes.
According to InciWeb, the Mountain Fire, ignited on Monday, July 15, burned through over 40 squares miles, or 27,265 acres of land over the past seven days. Finally, a sense of relief is beginning to wash over the mountain communities where the fire has raged, with the fire at 68 percent containment as of Monday, July 22.
Officials estimate full containment will be achieved by Friday, July 26.
"The last 24 hours have been great for the crews on the ground, we've been able to make significant improvement along the fire's edge," said Chris Gaulding, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service.
With the Mountain Fire effectively under control at this point, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office lifted evacuation orders for the communities of Idyllwild, Fern Valley and Pine Cove on Sunday. Nearly 6,000 residents returned home Sunday after five days in exile, when the fire was deemed a significant threat to the livelihood of these individuals.
"Firefighting personnel and equipment are still working in and around the affected areas and mountain communities," officials said on Monday. "[But] fire officials have determined the threat to the communities from the...wildfire has been diminished due to increased containment and rainfall at higher elevations."
While at the height of battling the massive fire there were over 3,400 fire personnel working to put out the blaze, the numbers and resources being used were down significantly Monday. Currently, there are 1,861 firefighters engaged in the battle, utilizing 87 fire engines, 13 helicopters, seven fixed wing aircraft including a DC-10, 57 hand crews, 27 water tenders and two dozers.
"Although conditions were hazardous and some crews were taken off the line due to the severe weather, firefighters continue to fight the fire aggressively where possible," said U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller.
According to a report from NBC News, seven homes were destroyed in the inferno, along with approximately 23 other structures. It's estimated that the cost to fight this fire has reached approximately $20 million.
It's been confirmed that the fire was human-caused, though authorities haven't yet been able to determine whether it was intentional or accidental. An investigation is currently underway.