(Image source from: 1520 WBZW)

California firefighters on Sunday made a steady progress battling a wildfire assisted by somewhat cooler temperatures. The wildfire destroyed around 16 structures as it raged through Southern California's Cleveland National Forest.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Holy Fire was 41 percent controlled after burning across 35.5 square miles of dry timber and brush, said Lynne Tolmachoff of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"The weather out here in California seems to be cooling down today and over the next couple days, and that should hopefully help firefighters get even more containment," Tolmachoff said. "They should make better progress over the next couple of days."

They will need to, with temperatures, expected to again reach 100 degrees or more by the end of the week.

The Holy Fire burning across California that began past Monday is one of the about 20 blazes as the state sees earlier, the most destructive and largest wildfire seasons.

Tolmachoff said with firefighters commencing to get a better handle on the blaze, they began to lift evacuation orders over the weekend for areas previously in its path, who did not have exact numbers. More than 20,000 people were reportedly told to evacuate at one point.

Flight after flight have made by Aircraft, dumping water and bright pink retardant on the blaze to defend Lake Elsinore and other foothill communities near the flames.

The Mendocino Complex recorded sizable wildfire burning north of Sacramento and destructing more than 100 homes. It was approximately 70 percent restrained. On Sunday, it had covered 525 square miles (1,359 square kilometers).

The Carr Fire that occurred for two weeks killed at least eight and burned over 1,000 residences was more than 50 percent restrained on Saturday.

By Sowmya Sangam