The fire in the rugged San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles was 57 percent contained early Tuesday after covering 538 acres, or less than a square mile.
Most of the more than 1,000 people evacuated from their homes had been allowed to return and public schools in the community of about 11,000 residents were reopening Tuesday. No homes have been lost in Sierra Madre, 15 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
A cool front moved into the area after three days of temperatures in the 90s. Tuesday's highs were expected to stay in the 70s. Humidity had increased and there was almost no wind Tuesday morning.
Flames moved close to homes early Monday but firefighters stood their ground and turned the flames back.v More than 1,050 firefighters were expected to be on fire lines Tuesday, up from 700 on Monday, said Ed Gililland of the U.S. Forest Service.
Four firefighters suffered minor injuries, authorities said. One small outbuilding was destroyed.
The cause of the blaze, which broke Saturday, remained under investigation.
Elsewhere, crews in central New Mexico had declared 95 percent containment on a blaze that has burned nine weekend or summer homes and several outbuildings. The fire blackened 4,832 acres, or 7.5 square miles. Officials at one point urged a voluntary evacuation of the communities of Manzano and Torreon, but few people heeded the call.
