"Things are looking good": Fire crews gaining control of Caldor Fire, some evacuees return home

Fire crews battling the massive Caldor wildfire in California and Nevada had a "monumental day" Friday when better weather allowed for substantial progress to be made in containing the blaze, officials said Saturday morning. Hundreds of evacuees have now returned to their homes as evacuation orders in certain affected areas have recently been decreased to warnings. 

"The incident continues to look better and better every day," West Zone Operational Chief Tim Ernst said at a community briefing Saturday. "We talked about yesterday being cautiously optimistic and we continue in that mode." In the past 24 hours, the Caldor Fire grew by only 800 acres — the smallest daily increase since the blaze ignited on August 14, U.S. Forest Service administrator Dean Gould said Saturday. "That's pretty impressive," he added.