DURANGO, Colo -- Unlike the Hayman Fire, which seems to be taming down, the state's second largest fire continues to devour land and threaten homes this morning.

The volatile wildfire, located northwest of Durango, swept down a mountain and into a valley east of the Animas River, crouching ever closer to dozens of homes.

Firefighters braced for more extreme fire behavior Monday, as the fire continued to actively burn on its southern flank.

An additional 200 people were due to arrive to help the 1,336 firefighters attacking the blaze.

The fire grew more than 10,000 acres over the weekend and forced the evacuations of 1,086 homes.

The 62,466-acre blaze has destroyed 45 houses and is only about 30 percent contained.

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Firefighting crews fear that there could be more homes burned but they have not been able to make an accurate assessment.

It is now considered a disaster area.

On Sunday, the situation worsened and some evacuated residents were told that they only had 30 minutes to return home to pack their belongings.

"It's a miracle, a miracle! The fire was on either side of us in like a V, and we're in the middle of it!" said homeowner Rusty Mason.

Meteorologist Dean Hutsell said a high-pressure front had calmed the winds, but also reduced the humidity to 4 percent overnight.

After deciding weather conditions were right, crews set a fire Sunday night on the mountain where flames were racing toward about 150 homes to try to stop the fire's advance.

The three-mile fire seems to have worked, and the homes were protected, but the blaze continues to burn out of control.

Holli and Walter Phaw watched as the controlled burn scorched the mountain front.

"Watching the mountain burn is horrifying," Walter Phaw said. "Firefighters were around our area yesterday and saved our house. I hope they can do it again tonight."

A sky crane, a large helicopter used for hauling, caught on fire. Crews sprayed it with foam and were assessing the damage. No one was injured.

Crews are using bulldozers to reinforce fire lines near homes and officials are hoping for calmer winds.

The cost of fire to date is $13.3 million. It started on June 9 by humans, officials said.

Vice President Dick Cheney was in Colorado on Sunday to look at the fire sites. A spokeswoman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed fighter jets escorted his plane, but declined to give any other information.

Gov. Bill Owens' spokesman, Dan Hopkins, said the staff was told Cheney would visit Colorado, but didn't know his schedule. The vice president then went to Portland, Ore., where he was to attend a fund-raiser Monday.

Other Fires Around The State

Million Fire

Near South Fork in southern Colorado, two subdivisions were evacuated Sunday when high winds spread flames from a 8,150-acre Million wildfire. The blaze, burning in southern Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest pushed the fire past containment lines. It grew about 500 acres, and more slurry bombers were called in to keep it under control.

Six C-130 Hercules planes from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs made several drops of retardant on the blaze.

It has destroyed 11 multi-million-dollar homes.

The fire, believed to be human caused, is about 50 percent contained.

Wylie Ridge Fire

North of Gunnison, about 300 people in 100 homes threatened by a 600-acre fire were evacuated Sunday. The Wylie Fire, as it is called, is burning near a rural subdivision in the Antelope Creek drainage near Gunnison. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Federal officials approved assistance for the fire Sunday night -- the 13th time the Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized federal funds for Colorado this year.

The blaze has not been contained. Residents of the Upper Castle Mountain division, 6 miles northeast of Gunnison, are on evacuation alert.

Pinon Fire

And a 1,200-acre fire near Elk Springs, about 50 miles west of Craig, was burning two miles from homes. There were no evacuations, but fire officials said they were monitoring the situation.

The fire began on Friday and is about 15 percent contained.

Officials say it was caused by lightning.