Two Wahiawa wildfires that forced evacuation of some buildings on a Navy installation and about 100 homes appeared to have died down at about 8 p.m. Monday, and officials allowed residents to return to their homes.

The wildfires were among three that charred a total of 475 acres in Wahiawa, said fire Capt. David Jenkins. The fire, which began Saturday, edged to about 300 to 400 yards from homes off California Avenue, he said.

Dry and windy conditions made for challenging firefighting conditions, causing the largest blaze, dubbed the Ewa Forest Reserve fire, to move to Whitmore Village and Wahiawa, he said.

The Fire Department is slated to conduct an aerial reassessment of the situation Tuesday morning, Jenkins said.

About 100 homes were evacuated at about 4:30 p.m. on streets at the end of California Avenue, on Nonohe Street, Nonohe Place, Puninoni Street and Puninoni Place. Also evacuated were some nonresidential buildings along the tree line at Navy Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific at the end of Whitmore Avenue.

The Fire Department released some companies, which were making a stand behind homes along the ridge near the water tank at the end of California Avenue, but planned to maintain a fire watch overnight, Jenkins said.

Federal, state and Honolulu firefighters were battling the three fires, two of which were sparked by the initial blaze reported Saturday in the Ewa Forest Reserve.

The first wildfire reported Saturday burned in the Poamoho section of the forest reserve, according to state Department of Land and Natural Resources spokesman Dan Dennison.

Nearly 50 firefighters from DLNR, the Army and the federal and Honolulu fire departments were on the scene Monday, assisted by 17 firetrucks and tankers and seven helicopters.

The fire was spread on state land by 30 mph wind and is burning in an area with 60 percent native vegetation, including koa, ohia and uluhe fern. Dennison said firefighters are working under challenging situations due to the steep terrain.

Meanwhile, HFD crews were on the scene to battle the second fire reported Sunday afternoon, which initially threatened homes near the 2200 block of California Avenue, Jenkins said.

He said the fire burned about 30 acres and was considered 75 percent contained as of Monday afternoon before it started moving and threatened homes.

Crews were also on the scene to battle a third fire Monday near the Schofield Barracks East Range.

Jenkins referred to the subsequent two blazes as “spot fires.”

“It’s one big incident that incorporates several separate fires and one big fire,” Jenkins said.

A handful of families remained at their homes in the California Avenue evacuation area but were packed and ready to go in case the fire got close.

Bridget Somera, 54, said, “We packed up what we need. We shipped off the kids.”

She added with tears in her eyes, “We have faith God will protect us and save all of our houses.”

Somera’s partner, Bert Rickard, 60, said he “shot down the roof with water.”

Somera said it was the first time in the 20 years they lived there that they were told to evacuate their home. Her son, who lives next door, evacuated with his children, she said.

Somera said the fire started Saturday, and they feared the fire could cross the creek in the gully below their homes.

Hours before the evacuation order was given Monday, other residents on California Avenue stood outside their homes, some on their roofs, as they watched firefighters battle the flames beyond a gated area. Smoke rose from the area and shifted to other parts of Wahiawa due to wind gusts.

Steven and Elizabeth Butler, who live in the 2200 block of California Avenue, said they have their bags packed in case they need to evacuate. The couple said smoke was very thick over the weekend and that they stayed in their front yard to keep the ground wet.

“It was flaring up. Flames, embers just shooting up, raining down on us,” Steven Butler said of the situation over the weekend. “We had all our hoses out and trying to wet down what we could because the embers were just falling down all over here.”

His wife added that they moved her mother to another family home in case they needed to evacuate quickly.

“The houses are right here and they’re old,” Elizabeth Butler said. “It would not take much for it to consume us.”

School officials are monitoring the situation closely for four nearby schools — Wahiawa and Iliaha elementary, Wahiawa Middle and Leilehua High — said DOE spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz. As of the close of school Monday, she said they did not plan to cancel classes Tuesday.

Leilehua High students and staff were instructed to leave campus after classes ended, and administrators canceled all extracurricular activities on Monday afternoon due to safety precautions.

“We have to err on the side of safety,” said Dela Cruz, adding that if the blazes continued Tuesday morning, school officials would likely make the call on whether to cancel school.