As hundreds of evacuated residents wait to return home, Jefferson County first responders on Monday couldn’t provide exact timelines of when they will fully contain the 472-acre Quarry Fire.

But it’s getting close to when all residents can return home, officials said Monday.

The Deer Creek Mesa and Kuehster neighborhoods were reopened on Saturday to residents. They included roughly 200 of 575 homes that were under mandatory evacuation, according to fire officials.

No structures have been damaged.

Roughly 35% of the blaze is contained, according to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office officials.

“The fire right now is doing exactly what we hoped it would do,” Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Karlyn Tulley said. “It’s blowing in the right direction. It’s burning the right things and we’re very, very excited for that.”

As far as when all residents can return home, Tulley said authorities didn’t want to make any false promises “but we just know we’re getting so close.”

Before that, firefighter’s have 50 acres of land left to burn off.

“And once that is done, we will have a much better chance of getting all of our residents back in their homes,” Tulley said. “So, we’re very optimistic that we’re well on our way to getting people back in their homes safely so that they won’t have to evacuate again.”

Any rainy weather could help expedite that decision, too.

“Another big factor that we’re looking at is mother nature,” she said. “So, if we get some good rains tonight, we’re even closer.”

Sunday night’s rainfall didn’t help curb the fire as much as it helped the firefighter’s who were battling the flames in 95-degree heat, Tulley said. 

About 190 firefighters, three helicopters and 13 engines from agencies across the state, including some from out of state, are fighting the Quarry Fire.

For residents returning on Saturday, Jefferson County Sheriff’s spokesperson Mark Techmeyer described reactions from returning residents as “cheers and tears.”

Each of them must get credentials at the evacuation center at Dakota Ridge High School located at 13399 W. Coal Mine Ave. Residents must show ID to receive their reentry badge.

Techmeyer said that residents must have a credentialed badge to enter the neighborhoods.

The Quarry fire, which was human-caused and is being investigated as possible arson, has affected the Deer Creek Canyon area.

Techmeyer said that the investigation remains ongoing, and that the sheriff’s office is “hitting it hard.”

“Whether it’s accidental or it was intentional, it is an arson investigation,” he said.

Other wildfires scorching along the Front Range also improved on Monday.

The Alexander Mountain Fire, which has burned 9,668 acres west of Loveland and destroyed 26 homes, is 54% contained on Monday, authorities said. The Stoney Canyon Fire, which burnt 1,557 acres near Lyons and destroyed five homes, is fully contained on Monday, authorities also said.