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A sunbeam illuminates the Elephant Butte Fire burning near Evergreen on July 13, 2020 as seen from Idledale. (Andy Colwell, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Residents of about 1,000 houses in Evergeen were allowed to return home on Tuesday night after authorities announced they had turned the corner on a wildfire that was raging a day before.

Rain soaked the Elephant Butte Fire burn area for a second straight evening, prompting the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to lift its evacuation order for a large area near Evergreen Golf Course.

The 50-acre blaze was at 25% containment “and climbing” by midday Tuesday, the sheriff’s office announced.

The fire was raging on Monday night shortly after it was called in to authorities at about 3 p.m. Trees were fully engulfed and a smoke column was visible in Denver.

But by nightfall the fire had died down and it never really fully reignited into a raging inferno on Tuesday.

Authorities have not said what started the fire.

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