Cooler temperatures and much-needed rains are helping to calm persistent wildfires burning on more than 55,000 acres across Colorado.

"We're getting a lot of precipitation that's moderating fire behavior in most places, even though some of the fires have gained acreage," said Larry Helmerick of the Rocky Mountain Coordination Center.

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The Big Fish Fire burning in wilderness about 45 miles east of Meeker grew more than 1,000 acres during the weekend to 17,056 acres. Fire crews are monitoring the area but plan to let the fire burn. Helicopters were being used to drop water to keep it from spreading outside its intended boundary.

High humidity is slowing the spread of the nearby Lost Lakes fire, which grew about 400 acres to 5,538.

So far, it has cost $1.5 million to manage the fires, which have been burning since July.

More than a half-inch of rain fell Sunday night on the Mount Zirkel Complex of two wildfires north of Steamboat Springs burning on about 31,014 acres. It was 90 percent contained.

"This week's weather should really lessen the fire danger on the Front Range," Helmerick said.

The weather could be a real problem for the Hayman burn area, according to the National Weather Service. A flash flood watch was in effect until 5 a.m. Tuesday for the area. Forecasters said rainfall rates in the flood-prone area could be as high as 2 inches an hour during the watch period.

Crews fighting a 200-acre wildfire west of Carbondale contained half the fire Sunday night and were expecting full containment Monday evening if cool weather continued. The fire has been burning since Thursday.

A smokejumper who broke a leg while fighting the fire underwent surgery last week and began physical therapy.

Matt Alexander, 29, of Redding, Calif., suffered the injury Thursday afternoon. Doctors at a Grand Junction hospital inserted a titanium rod in his leg.