Firefighters make progress on California fires

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Residents of about 500 homes evacuated in the face of a fast-moving wildfire have been allowed to return, an emergency official said Saturday, as the fire moved away from their northern California community.

Fifty additional strike teams had joined firefighters late Friday to protect the homes threatened by the Darby fire in Calaveras County, southeast of Sacramento. But then the flames began moving away.

"The strike teams were positioned at the homes," said Mary Pitto of the Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services. "Luckily they didn't have to be used, because at this point [the fire] is not heading toward the community, but had they waited until they were needed, we couldn't have gotten them here quick enough."

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Eleven air tankers and nine helicopters were being used to dump water on the fire as the crews labored to build a fire line.

The Darby fire had grown to 2,600 acres Saturday but was about 45 percent contained, Pitto said. The fire started Wednesday in the Stanislaus River Canyon, and the cause is under investigation.

Pitto said 150 of the 261 engines operating in Calaveras County were being released to battle the Poe fire, north of Sacramento.

Firefighters in Butte County were making progress against the 6,580-acre Poe fire. The blaze grew only about 100 acres overnight and was 20 percent contained, up from 5 percent the day before, the state forestry department said.

The Poe fire burns in Butte County, California, on Friday.

"We're fortunate that we've had lower temperatures, but the wind and low humidity have caused volatile conditions," a California Department of Forestry spokeswoman said. "Our main concern is that, with the fire burning in several directions, we must hold the current perimeter or the fire will pose a serious threat to the communities of Concow, Lower Paradise and Berry Creek."

The Poe fire has already destroyed 36 buildings, including 26 homes, and threatens another 400.

Homes along several miles of Highway 70, where the fire was burning on both sides of the road, remained evacuated on Saturday.

More than 1,400 firefighters Saturday were battling the Poe fire, which broke out early Thursday. The cause is under investigation, the forestry department said.

Weather conditions Saturday were hot and dry, but the winds were expected to be lighter than the day before.