Since the ruinous Tea Fire was mostly contained, authorities were able to limit on Sunday the evacuation area that had included thousands of houses to a zone that covers approximately 260 residences.

The fire, which burst as a result of strong airstreams on Thursday evening, burned down more than 210 homes and damaged nine others located in close proximity to Montecito and eastern Santa Barbara, according to fire officials.

The blaze was 75 percent suppressed yesterday night and is expected to be contained completely by Tuesday, after singeing more than 1,940 acres. The containment of the fire cost about $4 million, as more than 2,220 firefighters contributed to the suppression, officials announced at a press conference in Goleta on Sunday afternoon. In addition, firefighters were helped by the favorable weather conditions, compared to the strong winds that intensified the flames on Thursday night.

In spite of the fact that some places in the burned up area are still seething, the fire “is not actively burning anywhere,” Tom Franklin, deputy chief for Santa Barbara County, informed reporters, adding that the blaze had not affected any new spots since Saturday morning.

The owners of approximately 95 percent of the 5,446 houses whose residents were forced to evacuate can now return their homes, as the fire does not represent a menace anymore, but they have to identify themselves before entering the properties, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.

Update: Investigators have eliminated all fortuitous causes of the fire and explained on Sunday that the blazes were “human caused,” the San Jose Mercury News reported.