Crews have succeeded in making progress on two of the largest wildfires in California.

The fire crews' progress has spurred authorities to lift evacuation orders for half the homes which would have been in the path of the blaze in the Yosemite National Park, according to the Associated Press.

It had already burned 5.5 square miles and caused an evacuation of 100 homes when it began Saturday, but has been 34 percent contained.

Another blaze in the Sierra Nevada foothills caused 400 evacuated homes and burned 6.5 square miles before being contained about 85 percent.

A total of 19 homes have been burned in the blaze.

As of Tuesday, the total number of firefighters on scene was about 1,600, which is 300 fewer than Sunday.

Crews are especially trying to keep the fire from burning down giant sequoia trees at the national park, according to the AP.

Both fires gained speed quickly over the weekend and caused emergency officials to evacuate the homes with little time to spare.

Residents left behind items, and one even left a stubborn horse.

Laurel Fulton, a 66-year-old evacuee, left behind her horse, according to AP.

"When the sheriff is banging on your window yelling, 'Get out now, get out now,' you don't have much of a choice," Fulton said.

But she managed to save several other pets including four dogs, a cat and another horse.

She told AP that the fire was burning so hot that sand along a nearby river was burned to glass.

The efforts have stretched fire departments thin in California, according to Central Cost Public Radio KCBX FM.

"We have a lot of firefighters going to the several Northern California fires. So we cannot send out a lot more because we're at draw down. We have to keep the home front covered," said Tina Rose, a spokesperson for San Luis Obispo County Cal Fire.