Payson, Ariz. ? Editor’s note:The Payson Roundup is a central Arizona newspaper owned by WorldWest Limited Liability Company, a communications company formed by principals of The World Company, which owns the Journal-World.

Many of them have endured 10 days of mostly bad news about the fire that ravaged their communities, but the 800 evacuees at Rim Country Middle School received some good news Monday morning they could be going home in the next few days.

“It’s getting closer,” said Ken Frederick, information specialist for the Coconino National Forest, who conducted the Monday morning briefing for the evacuees, most of whom are from Heber and Overgaard communities where more than 200 homes were destroyed. “All the signs are there, so be encouraged.”

State Rep. Jake Flake drove through the fire area en route to the briefing.

“The road is clear except for some smoke,” Flake said. “I could see some active blazes here and there, but it was just an old stump burning out or something like that.”

While Frederick wouldn’t give the evacuees a firm estimate, Flake said the word to re-enter evacuated areas could come soon.

“I think we’re only a couple of days from the people going home,” he said. “Heber-Overgaard is basically safe now, but you can’t let those people go home until Forest Lakes is safe because most of the people have to go through there to get home.”

Most of the evacuees, now in much better spirits, are ready to go.

“I am anxious,” said Helen Defoor, whose Overgaard house is reportedly safe. “I can’t hardly wait to get home.”

Frederick told evacuees that while the fire had reached 463,830 acres, it was considered 45 percent contained.

That’s good news for the residents of Forest Lakes, a community of 600 homes that was considered to be in imminent danger from the rapidly approaching fire as recently as Saturday. Firefighters appear to be winning their battle to keep the roaring inferno away from several canyons that would serve as a one-way street into Forest Lakes, and fire lines south of Arizona Highway 260 appear to be holding.

Nevertheless, none of the fire is considered contained in the Heber-Overgaard-Forest Lakes area, the northwestern edge of the fire.

Saturday, 25,000 of the 30,000 people evacuated from Show Low and other communities on the eastern side of the fire were allowed to return home.

Like Forest Lakes, Show Low was saved after it appeared to be a lost cause.

In total, at least 423 homes have been destroyed and more than $30 million has been spent fighting the blaze. More than 4,000 fire personnel, 237 fire engines, 95 water tenders and 23 helicopters are engaged.

As firefighters finally seemed to be gaining the upper hand, Flake expressed gratitude that it was not worse.

“It’s hard to say we were fortunate when you have a fire of this magnitude, but we had a lot of blessings, and one of them was that the crisis in Heber-Overgaard didn’t come until Pinetop, Lakeside and Show Low was over,” Flake said. “Had they come at exactly the same time, we wouldn’t have had the resources, and both areas would have been burned out.”

He also praised the communities housing the evacuees. “To me, they’re the heroes,” he said.

Flake said the hospitality and support the evacuees received had been a big factor in their ability to withstand trying circumstances.

“Of course they want to go home,” Flake said. “But I’ve talked to several people here, and no one is upset.”