Northern Alberta Residents Start Returning Home After Two Week Evacuation Due to Fire

A helicopter drops a bucket of water on the Chuckegg Creek wildfire west of High Level, AB. on May 25, 2019. Government of Alberta, Chris Schwarz/The Canadian Press

Some residents in northern Alberta have started to return home after being forced by wildfires to leave their communities two weeks ago.

An evacuation order was lifted this morning for residents of High Level, the surrounding areas of Mackenzie County and the Dene Tha’ First Nation communities of Bushe River, Meander River, and Chateh.

Officials say the 4,000 people who are allowed to return home remain on evacuation alert and should be prepared to leave on short notice if conditions change.

The last recorded size of the Chuckegg Creek fire near High Level was about 2,800 square kilometres.

Another fire still has the town of Slave Lake on evacuation alert as well.

A quickly moving wildfire in 2011 destroyed nearly one-third of the community.

A fire burns near High Level, AB. on May 21, 2019 in this handout photo from the Alberta Government. HO, Chris Schwarz, Government of Alberta/The Canadian Press

The Chuckegg Creek fire is seen from the air in a Government of Alberta handout photo taken near the town of High Level, AB. on May 19, 2019. Ho/The Canadian Press

A burned building stands among charred rubble in the neighborhood of Abasand in wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray, Alberta, on Friday, May 13, 2016. Jason Franson /The Canadian Press via AP

Smoke fills the air as people drive on a road in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Tuesday, May 3, 2016. At least half of a northern Alberta city was ordered evacuated Tuesday as a wildfire whipped by winds engulfed homes and sent ash raining down on residents. Greg Halinda/The Canadian Press via AP

Police watch a convoy of cars and trucks pass a wildfire as they are evacuated from Fort McMurray, Alberta, on May 7, 2016. Jonathan Hayward /The Canadian Press via AP

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement, some communities in the County of Northern Lights, Bigstone Cree Nation, parts of the municipal district of Opportunity, and several other hamlets and First Nations in northern Alberta.