May 26, 2008 10:51 am US/Pacific
Firefighters Gaining Ground On Santa Cruz Wildfire
GILROY, Calif. (AP) ―
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A wind-whipped wildfire burning out of control destroyed some homes on Thursday, May 22, 2008.
AP
Some evacuees in the fire-ravaged mountains of Santa Cruz were allowed to return to their homes on Monday, while the hardest hit neighborhoods are still closed because of hazards, fire officials said.
The fire came to a standstill over the Memorial Day weekend after cool, moist weather allowed firefighters to gain a strong handle on the blaze, which so far has cost $9.3 million to fight.
Officials opened several roads into the area Monday afternoon after inspectors found they were safe, said David Shew, a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.
Hundreds of other evacuees will be allowed back in phases over three days as inspectors clear one area at a time, according to the department. The blaze still threatened 100 homes in the rural area about 15 miles south of San Jose. The fire tore through nearly 4,000 acres, destroying three dozen homes and 18 other buildings.
Inspectors are looking for hazards along roads such as fallen trees or live flames, and making sure homes that were partially burnt were still safe to enter. The ground also could be hot with smoldering coals or tree roots that are still burning.
The blaze was 80 percent contained by Monday evening, and officials do not expect it to grow much more.
The fire was expected to be fully surrounded by Tuesday, fire officials said.
Nearly 3,000 personnel were on the scene throughout the weekend, but some were sent home Monday, officials said. Six firefighters have suffered minor injuries.
Investigators are still probing the cause of the fire, which broke out just as the state's unofficial fire season got under way in mid-May. The blaze erupted following the state's driest two-month period on record.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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