The provincial government has lifted some of the evacuation orders in Conception Bay North, more than two weeks after expanding the orders in the region and forcing more people to flee from the Kingston wildfire.

In a pair of news releases sent Saturday afternoon, the Public Safety Department said residents of Salmon Cove on the south end of the fire boundary, and Burnt Point, Gull Island and part of Northern Bay on the northern end, can return to their properties.

The province is advising residents returning home to take a detour around the closed section of the highway on Route 74 and Route 80. Route 70 still remains closed.

There will also be a roadblock at the entrance to Northern Bay Brook Bridge to restrict traffic into the evacuated area, which now begins south of the bridge.

Busses will be available at Carbonear Academy for residents who need transportation. The last bus will leave at 6:30 p.m.

Salmon Cove, Burnt Point-Gull Island and the north part of Northern Bay still remain under evacuation alert and a regional state of emergency. 

There will be a welcome centre for residents returning to Burnt Point-Gull Island and Northern Bay at the AYLA Centre, until 10 p.m. today and from 9 to 5 p.m. tomorrow. 

The centre will have food, as well as mental health supports for those returning. Waste disposal bins and clean-up supplies like masks, gloves and garbage bags will be available for residents to clean up household waste, like spoiled food.

Fire suppression continued Saturday

The move comes after crews in Conception Bay North continued the fight against the Kingston fire Saturday, using both aerial and ground suppression efforts.

In an public advisory Saturday morning, the province's Forestry Department said aerial suppression using helicopters and a bird dog aircraft will continue through the day.

For now, the release said, water bombers are on standby.

Saturday afternoon, N.L. fire duty officer Jeff Motty told CBC that mostly ground crews working on the Kingston fire Saturday. He said low cloud cover prevented aerial assets from working on the fire. 

Light helicopters assisted ground crew, but other assets like water bombers weren't able to be used, he said. 

Alongside the aircraft, ground crews from N.L., Ontario and B.C., alongside Canadian Armed Forces members and volunteer fire fighters, are working on suppressing hot spots.

PAL Aerospace is providing thermal scanning maps, and officials estimate the Kingston fire is 10,095 hectares.

Motty said that there was no change in the fire size and that the risk level is the same. 

He said there is still smoke and crews are working on hot spots within the fire's perimeter. 

Motty said there were still some spots with open flame on Saturday.

Two fires in Labrador

Motty says there are now two fires in Labrador, including a new one near Natuashish. 

The fire in Udjuktok Bay is 517 hectares, and is still out of control. It has been burning since Aug. 8.

The new fire in Natuashish is an estimated 0.3 hectares and is being held. 

Motty says this fire is about 500 meters away from the community

Paddy's Pond and Martin Lake

Meanwhile, the department said crews have made significant progress toward putting out the Paddy's Pond and Martin Lake fires.

The Paddy's Pond fire is under control, and ground crews are working on hot spots. It's about 318 hectares.

The province says the "under control" classification means enough suppression action has happened to ensure the fire won't spread.

The Martin Lake fire has shrunk because of detailed boundary mapping, and the department now estimates it's 1,633 hectares.

Motty says there was no change in the activity of the fire Saturday. 

Throughout the day Saturday, ground crews from N.L. and B.C. and helicopters will continue to look for hot spots on that fire, with the help of thermal mapping information.

The fire is considered as being held, which means with the help of current resources and forecasts, enough work has been done to prevent the fire from spreading beyond it's boundaries.

The province says B.C. crews will head to Kingston on Sunday, to assist there.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abby Cole is a journalist with CBC News in St. John's. She can be reached at abby.cole@cbc.ca.