Colorado’s biggest wildfire reached 54 percent containment Sunday after torching 9,668 acres west of Loveland and destroying 25 homes.

With only 5 percent containment as of Saturday, the latest numbers show a marked improvement in firefighters’ battle with the Alexander Mountain fire, which began last Monday. 

Since then, the number of firefighters tackling the blaze has been in the hundreds. 

On Saturday, the Alexander Mountain fire burned through 9,530 acres and reached 5 percent containment after a few days of no containment at all.

On Sunday, the wildfire only grew 140 acres, compared to its estimated previous 2,000 acre-per-day burn rate.

This occurred despite early concerns that sprouting thunderstorms may bring fire-changing winds late Friday and early Saturday, and dry temperatures that were over 95 degrees.

Around 49 structures have been damaged or destroyed since Thursday, all south of Cedar Springs Reservoir, a mix of homes and outbuildings, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

That includes 25 homes lost, four homes damaged, and 20 outbuildings destroyed. The sheriff’s office notified property owners of the damages on Saturday, the office said in a news release.

Only minor injuries have been reported. Over 2,588 people – voluntary or not – have evacuated the area, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said on Sunday that a credentialing system is being set up for returning residents in the neighborhoods off Storm Mountain Road. The sheriff’s office’s Joint Information Center for the Alexander Mountain fire can be contacted at (970) 980-2500.

Authorities on Saturday noted that 508 fire personnel were on-site and that firefighters were particularly seeing progress on the east side of the fire in the Cedar Park area.

It has not yet crossed Highway 34, which sheriff’s officials said was a priority for crews.

Just under 400 personnel were working the fire as of Friday evening, including five specialized hotshot teams. Hotshot teams are elite wildland firefighters who are called into the most challenging parts of a fire. Each team is made up of roughly 20 firefighters.

Horsetooth Reservoir is now open and is no longer being used to scoop water, according to the sheriff’s office. Carter Lake remains closed for aircraft use in firefighting efforts.

Denver Gazette news partner 9News contributed to this report.