Firefighters increased containment to 55% as of Tuesday morning on the Highland Fire, which is burning about six miles southeast of Prineville. (Central Oregon Fire Information)

Firefighters made progress containing the Highland Fire south of Prineville Monday, easing evacuation orders for residents south of town.

Fueled by hot and blustery conditions over the weekend, the fire prompted Level 3—Go Now orders for about 1,500 residents in the area. The Crook County Sheriff’s Office lowered those levels Tuesday morning, with Level 2—Be Set remaining for the area east of Juniper Canyon Road, south of Bonnie Road and north of Davis Loop.

Up-to-date evacuation levels and maps can be found on the Crook County Emergency Management website.

The Highland Fire is burning about 6 miles southeast of Prineville in an area called Juniper Canyon, a growing rural residential development of about 2,000 homes. Containment on the 719-acre fire jumped to 55% after Monday, as crews mopped up hotspots and cleared hazard trees. The fire line held after being tested by high winds overnight, according to an update from an interagency fire management team. Firefighters from other counties brought on to assist with the blaze were relocated to other fires in the region.

Temperatures are expected to dip slightly Tuesday before rising back to near 90 degrees on Wednesday.

The fire, which began Saturday, was determined to be human-caused, according to Crook County fire officials.

No structures have been destroyed. Agencies are still determining if any have been damaged.