Cooler weather aided firefighters Sunday as they claimed the upper hand on a 1,636-acre blaze that destroyed five homes near Selma.

"It’s 60 percent contained," said Kris Babbs, spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry. "All roads are open. The evacuations have been lifted."

Local residents, who have been returning to their homes, are being warned that the fire could still pose a threat.

Fire crews had braced for a flare-up Sunday as winds of up to 20 miles per hour threatened to kick things back into high gear.

But cooler weather dampened the flames, allowing fire crews the chance to strengthen their lines. The fire gained no new ground Sunday.

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Reinforcements were also brought in, swelling the number of firefighters to 1,500, a 50 percent increase over Saturday.

Eleven helicopters have doused hot spots, 12 bulldozers have strengthened fire lines around structures and more than 30 fire engines are at the scene.

Because the fire has ebbed, Babbs said it has been producing less smoke, leaving skies clearer after a heavy inversion layer choked the Rogue Valley Thursday.

While much of the fire has been contained, Babbs said it’s too early to say when it might be fully contained.

"I don’t want to forecast because fire is very unpredictable," she said, adding, however, "It is less of a threat."

The Deer Creek fire erupted Thursday in a grassy area near a vineyard, pushing east along Deer Creek Road and engulfing a heavily forested area about four miles northeast of Selma.

In addition to the five houses, the fire destroyed seven outbuildings and damaged two other homes and six outbuildings. It also destroyed several vehicles.

The fire has been burning on private and Bureau of Land Management land. It is east of the 2002 Biscuit fire, which consumed 500,000 acres in the Rogue-River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com