SOME OF THE RESIDENTS EVACUATED FROM THE SCENIC OAK CREEK CANYON AREA BECAUSE OF A 4,200-ACRE (1,700-HECTARE) WILDFIRE WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES SATURDAY AS CREWS REINFORCED THEIR LINES AROUND THE BLAZE, OFFICIALS SAID, ACCORDING TO AP. RESIDENTS OF ROUGHLY 430 HOMES AND 30 BUSINESSES LINING THE NARROW CANYON IN NORTHERN ARIZONA HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STAY ELSEWHERE FOR NEARLY A WEEK AND WERE TOLD FRIDAY THAT THEY MIGHT BE ALLOWED TO RETURN IN TWO TO FOUR DAYS. ON SATURDAY, HOWEVER, THE EVACUATION ORDER WAS LIFTED FOR ABOUT 75 HOMES AND FOUR RESORTS, SAID JON PAXTON, A DEPUTY WITH THE COCONINO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. BECAUSE THE CANYON HIGHWAY REMAINED CLOSED SOUTH OF THE PARK, EVACUEES WHO HAD BEEN STAYING IN THE TOURIST HAVEN OF SEDONA FACED A 45-MILE (72-KILOMETER) DETOUR. CREWS HAD BECOME CONFIDENT THAT TWO DAYS OF WORK TO STRENGTHEN THE LINES KEEPING FLAMES FROM MOVING FARTHER NORTH UP THE CANYON HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL. NO HOMES HAVE BURNED. OFFICIALS SAID THE FIRE WAS 20 PERCENT CONTAINED, WITH FULL CONTAINMENT PREDICTED BY WEDNESDAY, BARRING ANY WEATHER DISTURBANCES THAT COULD PUSH THE FLAMES. THE FIRE STARTED JUNE 18 NORTH OF SEDONA AS A TRANSIENT'S CAMPFIRE. ABOUT 720 FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN CLEARING BRUSH, WETTING DOWN BUILDINGS AND SETTING BACKFIRES TO REMOVE FUEL FROM THE FIRE'S PATH.
