South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Residents began trickling back to their homes after significant gains over a wildfire near Lake Tahoe allowed authorities to lift some evacuation orders.A second day of mild winds Thursday enabled firefighters to contain 70 percent of the blaze that destroyed 254 homes, prompting officials to reopen several major roads and downgrade some mandatory evacuation orders to voluntary.
Many residents took advantage of the opportunity to return, said El Dorado Sheriff's Deputy Phil Chovanec. But for those whose homes bore the brunt of the destruction, the order to stay away remained firm.
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