Firefighters have been winning the battle against the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history, ABC reported.
According to the report, this Saturday, more than half the blaze contained by the firefighters and officials are preparing to lift mandatory evacuation orders for hundreds of residents.
"The containment of the Black Forest Fire is at 55 percent, up from 45 percent earlier Saturday," said incident commander Rich Harvey, during an evening news conference.
According to El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa some residents along the north and west fronts of the initial evacuation zone are being allowed to return to their neighborhoods at 8 p.m. after authorities downgraded evacuation orders from mandatory to pre-evacuation status in specific areas.
The fire have claimed two fatal victims, displaced hundreds and destroyed close to 500 homes. The victims' bodies were found inside their garage Thursday, their car doors open as though they had been about to flee.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, but officials say they smell a human finger behind it.
The news that the firefighters were getting the upper hand against the fire comes on the day authorities were able to gain a clearer picture of the grim landscape it left behind after exploding Tuesday outside Colorado Springs.
"Since the firefighters have been advancing, no additional homes have been destroyed," Sheriff Maketa said. "There were no new reports of injury or death."
Citing deputies, the Sheriff said that some areas in the fire's path had been described as looking "like a nuclear bomb went off," making it difficult to assess the damage before Saturday.
"That is the level of incineration and destruction that took place in some areas," he said.
According to ABC News, the containment was at 55 percent by evening, up from 45 earlier Saturday. So far, it's cost more than $3.5 million to fight.
Some residents had already gotten to see the damage for themselves.
Jack and Judy Roe were able to tour their neighborhood Friday, and saw to their relief that their house had been spared. Several other homes on their block, however, where destroyed.
"Our hearts were breaking for our neighbors," Judy Roe said.
