The chillier New Mexico weather has helped firefighters bring the nation’s biggest wildfire under control.
Authorities also assessed the ecological impact of the fire in their investigation of firepower and soil damage in sites prone to extreme erosion and excessive deforestation.
The blaze, which broke out close to seven weeks ago in the foothills of the Rockies, remained 40 percent contained Monday.
In addition to the cool temperatures the firefighters were supported at the weekend by helicopters and planes.
The fire started as two fires and became a wildfire.
The blaze ate more than 484 square miles of wood, grassland and brush; evacuations have been on hold for weeks.
Also Monday, the US Forest Service released a study of vegetation and soil damage in the 465 square kilometers of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range that has burnt down over the last several weeks, including public and private land.
Around one fifth of the area suffers from serious burns, which can result in severe or even dangerous erosion.
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