The Los Angeles County Fire Department said 30% of the 516-acre fire had been contained, allowing some residents to return to their homes early Sunday.
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The fire near the prosperous and semi-rural neighborhoods of Calabasas was 80 percent contained by sunset – up from 30 percent at daybreak.
The fire destroyed one commercial building, Tripp added.
Officials said the fire was causing unhealthy air quality levels, and they urged residents to avoid outdoor activity – especially in areas where there was visible smoke, soot or ash.
The service said the fire continues to push into the Ventana Wilderness, where it could reach ranches and homes.
Fifty-foot-high flames erupted on the ridges and embers turned trees into candles Saturday afternoon.
The 28-year-old Glendora man’s name was not released because no charges have been brought against him, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. One other house was damaged, officials told the CBS Local, but not wrecked.
Three firefighters received minor injuries while fighting the blaze.
After some 5,000 people were forced to evacuate the area on Saturday, fire officials lifted mandatory evacuations on Sunday in Calabasas, a city of rugged hills and ranches 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Los Angeles that several celebrities call home.
That hardly spelled the end of danger for residents, as the entire community remained under mandatory evacuation and authorities anxious sweeping winds could easily cause all the flames to reignite.
Temperatures on Sunday hovered in the mid-80s down from more than 100 degrees a day earlier.
For much of the weekend, temperatures hovered in the mid-90s, making the challenge of battling the blaze even more intense.
Approximately 400 firefighters continue to fight the blaze and though it is now 5 percent contained, the fire is actually expected to flare up again.
The city of Calabasas ordered horses and large animals to be evacuated to Pierce College, while small animals, like dogs and cats, were to be evacuated to the Agoura Animal Shelter.
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Firefighters used water-dropping aircraft to attack the eastern and southern flanks, keeping the blaze at just over 500 acres. No structures were threatened.
