BLACK FOREST — Sunday’s rain and the work of crews on the lines of the Black Forest fire mean that some resources are being released to work on other incidents, and more residents are being allowed to return to their property, the fire team said Monday morning.

The containment figure on the fire was increased from 65 percent to 75 percent, incident commander Rich Harvey told an 11:15 news briefing.

“Fire behavior was reduced to creeping and smoldering due to improved weather conditions,” Harvey reported earlier Monday. “Due to decreasing demands from the incident, some resources are being released and made available for response for other incidents as needed.”

The better handle on the fire means more mandatory evacuation zones were downgraded to pre-evacuation areas Monday morning, allowing more people to get back to their homes.

“We have begun an aggressive repopulation of evacuated areas,” El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said at the briefing. He said another small area off Shoup Road should open at 8 p.m. Monday.

There are now about 4,100 people in the mandatory evacuation zone and about 16,200 in the pre-evacuation zone. At the height of the fire some 40,000 people were ordered out of their homes.

Maketa said another large area should open Tuesday, but he said that the area of greatest concern and most density would have to remain closed to residents until it is safe and until fire investigators release it.

“You’re not going home, you’re going to rubble,” he reminded many of those residents. He added that support teams needed to be in place to help residents.

El Paso County District Attorney Dan May said that first-responders are protecting the vacant houses from burglars and looters. “They are doing a yeoman’s job of protecting those homes,” he said. He added that his office will prosecute any offenders.

“I want you to know,” May said to would-be crooks, ” we will show the same compassion to you, that you are showing to our neighbors right now.”

May also said people in the area must continue to abide by the Stage 1 fire restrictions in place for the area because of continuing drought conditions. Violators of restrictions will, like looters, face “zero tolerance” prosecution, he said.

The fire north of Colorado Springs has burned 14,280 acres, destroyed 502 homes and taken the lives of two people. The coroner has not released their names.

Investigators have not yet determined what started the fire. But Maketa has said it is likely to have been human-caused. He said investigators are zeroing in on the point of origin and have called in state and federal experts to help. On Monday he said it was “a slow methodical process” and said he was pleased with the progress the team is making. He said later that the team had pinpointed where the fire started to within feet or yards.

Some 1,130 people are working the fire, which to date has cost $5,555,950 to fight. Officials hope to have it contained on Thursday.

Maketa said the humidity is helping firefighters, although Harvey noted that overnight three lightning strikes created additional work for firefighters.

“We really do appreciate the support,” Harvey said of the thank-you’s and cheers firefighters get from residents. “When it gets down to the grind, it’s hard to stay motivated.”

Staff writer Kieran Nicholson contributed to this report.