BREVARD and VOLUSIA COUNTIES, Fla. -- Evacuation orders were lifted, Tuesday night, for Cocoa residents who had been forced to flee in front of a raging wildfire. Damage estimates for wildfires that burned through Palm Bay approached $10 million.

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FORECAST GRAPHICS: Fire Threat And Weather Forecast Graphics
911 CALLS: Dispatchers Swamped By Calls | Listen To Calls

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The Brevard County fire rekindled in the Cocoa area, Tuesday afternoon.

The fire started east of I-95 but jumped the interstate and threatened the Forest Lakes area. People in the Westgate and Cypress Trace mobile home parks were evacuated but were allowed to return within a few hours.

PALM BAY DAMAGE ESTIMATES GROW

A staggering 162 homes were damaged or destroyed by wildfires that burned through Palm Bay Monday and Tuesday. Officials said that that number would likely grow.

Officials first reported more than 60 of the homes were so badly damaged they can't be lived in any longer. That number was later dropped to 40. Preliminary estimates put the dollar figure for the destruction at $9.6 million. Assessment teams continued to survey damaged areas as firefighters battled flare-ups. In all, nearly 10,000 acres burned in Brevard County.

Teams of inspectors were working grids in Palm Bay in come up with damage figures. They were focusing efforts on homes that had been hit by the fires and planned to count structures such as sheds and fences at a later time.

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ARSONIST SEARCH: Numerous Leads As Investigation Intensifies
FRANTIC: Residents Watch Wildfires Approach Their Homes

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Angel Pagan watched Tuesday as firefighters hosed down the smoldering woods surrounding his home. A night earlier, he neighbors used garden hoses and buckets of water to douse the lames.

"I cannot believe it. My house was surrounded, and my house did not go up," Pagan said. "It's pure luck, and God."

Across the street, a stucco home was charred and crumbling. On it was duct-taped a bright red note from the building inspector that read "Totaled."

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TRUCK SITS: Powerful Firefighting Truck Sits As Wildfires Rage
EVACUEES: Residents Learn Whether Homes Survived Fires

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Although conditions improved somewhat overnight, fires still flared up in several neighborhoods across Palm Bay, Tuesday. However, officials said they had more resources in place to attack them. Nevertheless, fire destroyed at least one home Tuesday morning.

"Within 20 minutes it was just snap, crackle and went up in flames," said Marisela Laracuente, a neighbor who watched it happen.

Only one shelter remained open Tuesday night at Our Lady of Grace Church (see map)
at 300 SE Malabar Road.

Tuesday evening, the Florida Division of Forestry was taking over mop-up duties and Palm Bay firefighters were returning to their regular duties.

There were reports that the city was running out of water to fight fires but officials insisted there were no problems. However, they did ask residents in non-affected areas to conserve water.

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WATER ISSUES: Trouble Getting Enough Water To Fire Lines

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The first fires roared to life Sunday and investigators believe a person or a group of people set them. They have a general description of one person they'd like to talk to. Witnesses said a man driving a black Honda or Hyundai threw something out of the car shortly before one of the fires started. Anyone with information was asked to call CrimeLine at 1-800-423-TIPS. The reward for information was raised to $15,000.

Palm Bay Police Chief Bill Berger said his department had no solid leads but had fielded hundreds of calls from people reporting suspicious activity. A task force was formed to investigate the possible crimes.

"People do this for fascination, for thrills. And you're right, the word is 'sick,'" said Berger in response to a question about the arsonists.

Berger added that some of the fires may be copycat crimes.

"There's a high probability based on national averages that happened," he said.

Prosecutors said they would push for maximum sentences for anyone convicted of the arsons. That could include life in prison.

Schools in Palm Bay were closed and classes canceled for Wednesday (see list).

Florida Governor Charlie Crist took an aerial tour of the damaged areas, Tuesday afternoon. Crist declared a state of emergency for Brevard and Volusia counties and the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it would reimburse the counties for the money spent fighting the wildfires.

MALABAR FIRE DESTROYS HOMES, CONTINUES BURNING

A wildfire burning in Malabar is also likely the work of an arsonist, investigators said. Four homes and several buildings were destroyed as flames torched 2,500 acres.

VOLUSIA COUNTY BLAZES SLOW

Tuesday proved to be a relatively calm day in Volusia County. Hundreds of homes had been evacuated Sunday and Monday but all residents were allowed back. A fire broke out near an apartment complex, nursing home and school but firefighters quickly contained it.

WEATHER CONDITIONS NOT EXPECTED TO IMPROVE

Wednesday's winds were forecast to remain near 15mph, which were better than the 20-30mph gusts that fanned flames earlier in the week. But humidity levels were expected to remain very low and the first, slight chance of rain wasn't expected until Friday. (See 5-Day Forecast)