IDYLLWILD, Calif. — Thousands of people were allowed to return to their homes in Southern California mountain communities near Palm Springs on Sunday, after firefighters, aided by heavy rain, made substantial progress against a week-old wildfire that has burned across 42 square miles and destroyed seven homes.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department lifted evacuation orders at 11 a.m. for the communities of Idyllwild, Fern Valley, and Pine Cove, from which thousands had fled the advancing flames five days before. Authorities said only local residents and business people would be allowed to return.
Evacuation orders for several smaller nearby communities had been lifted earlier in the day.
Some 6,000 people fled the little towns that dot the San Jacinto Mountains between Palm Springs and Hemet after the fire broke out Monday and quickly swept across the heavily wooded area. Twenty-three structures, including the seven homes, were destroyed. There were no reports of injuries.
With the arrival of an inch and a half rain Sunday, firefighters began to beat back the flames and had the blaze just about halfway contained.
‘‘With diminished fire activity, firefighters made great progress with line construction, particularly along the east side toward Palm Springs,’’ said US Forest Service spokesman John Miller.
The fire was still far from extinguished, however.
The thunderstorm that was helping douse the flames could also bring lightning, wind, and flooding, said Miller.