The Associated Press

CORRALITOS, Calif. — The fire that ravaged more than 4,200 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains was fully contained, and residents were allowed to return to their properties Tuesday.

Firefighters took advantage of coastal fog and cool temperatures to contain the flames six days after they broke out, said Chris Morgan, spokesman for CalFire.

In spite of the favorable conditions, there were still 2,519 firefighters committed to the fire, which has cost the state approximately $12.2 million to fight, Morgan said.

At the height of the blaze there were 3,000 firefighters at the scene. Seven firefighters have suffered minor injuries, officials said.

The hardest-hit neighborhoods remained closed until Tuesday afternoon, when all residents with proper identification were being allowed back to survey the damage.

The blaze has destroyed at least three dozen homes in the rural area between Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, about 15 miles south of San Jose.

Investigators are still probing the cause of the fire, which broke out just as the state's unofficial fire season got under way in mid-May. The blaze erupted following the state's driest two-month period on record.