The nearly 200,000-acre Witch Fire continued its path of destruction today, though shifts in wind patterns slowed its spread, allowing thousands of evacuated residents to return to their homes.
By evening, the blaze, designated as the state's top firefighting priority in the midst of more than a dozen fires plaguing Southern California, had blackened roughly 196,400 acres and remained only 1 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
In the mid-afternoon, flare-ups near the fire's point of origin in the Wynola area sent flames toward the east, prompting evacuations and fears for the welfare of nearby Julian, officials said.
For the most part, however, there were improvements in the battle against the 3-day-old blaze, which has caused no fatalities but has injured a dozen firefighters and several civilians.
During an evening briefing, San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarman said wind shifts had essentially halted the spread of the fire in the most critically endangered areas.
``It pretty much stayed within the footprint that was established within the city of San Diego (yesterday),'' Jarman told reporters.
The fire has destroyed about 500 homes and 100 commercial buildings since it began spreading east of Ramona on Sunday.
Within San Diego, the conflagration has leveled 480 structures and damaged 65 others. Much of the damage was in Rancho Bernardo, where about 280 homes fell to the flames, according to city officials.
This afternoon, authorities rescinded mandatory-evacuation orders in several communities, including Chula Vista, Del Mar Heights, Scripps Ranch and Solana Beach.
About 1,500 firefighters were battling the flames in the early evening,
according to Cal Fire.
