The Ptarmigan Fire that sparked above Silverthorne on Monday was calmed Tuesday afternoon by cooler temperatures and rain.
Crews have yet to establish containment on the blaze estimated to be between 85-100 acres. Three heavy helicopters and a light helicopter joined the clouds in dropping water on hot spots, and a large air tanker dropped retardant to slow fire growth.
While the rains did help, winds led to more pre-evacuation notifications before the storms came into Summit County. Authorities say 617 residences have been evacuated or are on standby to evacuate.
Controlled access for residents with credentials was allowed Wednesday morning as some around Silverthorne were allowed to get back into their homes briefly.
More rain and possibly snow at the highest elevations in the areas are forecasted to move into the region on Wednesday, which would help the 100 people working on the fire.
Officials are still investigating the cause of the blaze.
Wildfire map
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