Cool weather helps firefighters in California

The temperature at Wrightwood, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, was expected to drop below 40 degrees.

Fire crews had spent the previous day cutting fire lines while battling erratic winds, which at times kept air tankers and helicopters grounded.

Officials warned the so-called Sheep fire, which had burned at least 7,500 acres, or nearly 12 square miles, and was 20 percent contained, still had potential to flare up and the town remained under mandatory evacuation orders.

Of most concern were the winds, which at times gusted up to 50 mph, then dropped to zero.

"It's hard to get a handle on it," Forest Service spokeswoman Barbara Duruisseau said. "The wind could be blowing one way one minute and another way the next."

The fire had destroyed three homes in remote canyons but firefighters had kept it from encroaching into Wrightwood. Between 4,000 to 6,000 residents were ordered to evacuate.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, freeing up state resources to battle the fire.