CALIFORNIA ? A wildfire that swept across more than 6,400 acres in a rural area east of Los Angeles was expected to be contained by the weekend, officials said Thursday.

The blaze was 70 percent contained, up from 25 percent earlier in the day, and flames had retreated from a freeway’s edge, said Rick Griggs, spokesman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The blaze had threatened about 100 homes in a sparsely populated area about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, and residents of about 20 homes had been encouraged to evacuate, but those residents were told they could return, officials said.

“The weather was definitely in our favor,” forestry fire Capt. Jason Neuman said.

Officials also reopened the 60 Freeway, which had been closed near San Timoteo Canyon on Wednesday after a wall of flames roared up to its edge, Griggs said.

Fire crews braced for another hot day Friday with the National Weather Service forecasting temperatures again in the 90s, with low humidity and light wind.