N.S. wildfires: Some evacuations lifted in Halifax; Shelburne blaze remains out of control

Some people who were forced to evacuate due to a wildfire in the Halifax area can return home as some areas begin to reopen after the devastation.

Some people who were forced to evacuate due to a wildfire in the Halifax area can return home as some areas begin to reopen after the devastation.

The wildfire was brought under control over the weekend, thanks to the efforts of dozens of firefighters and some much-needed rainfall. As of Sunday, the fire measured at 950 hectares and was not expected to spread.

The fire, which broke out last Sunday, destroyed about 200 buildings, including 150 homes, and forced the evacuation of more than 16,400 people.

But more and more people are now able to return home. On Sunday night, evacuation orders were lifted in the Glen Arbour area, as well as in the area east of Stillwater Lake.

An updated evacuation map shows where evacuation orders have been lifted so far, as well as the areas where evacuation orders will be lifted in the future.

In a release Monday, the municipality said the Canada Games Centre is returning to regular programming and is no longer acting as an evacuation centre. It said over the last several days, residents in the area of significant impact have spoken with municipal staff about the status of their property, and have been able to view photos.

While municipal staff will no longer be at the centre to talk about properties, the municipality said it will reassess the need for this support in the coming days, as the phased approach to lifting evacuation orders continues and more residents return to their communities.