It was a good weekend for many people who were evacuated from their homes in early August due to the massive fire on the Conception Bay North Shore.

Residents and property owners in Gull Island, Burnt Point, Salmon Cove, and part of Northern Bay north of the bridge were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday, while the residents of Perry’s Cove followed suit on Sunday.

The transition isn’t an easy one however. While none of the communities where the evacuation orders have been lifted suffered widespread fire destruction, smoke, heat, and a lack of electricity over more than three weeks have taken their toll.

Provincial government officials and others were on site on the north and southern boundaries of the fire zone providing protective equipment, cleaning supplies and offering bins for residents to dispose of rotten food and even contaminated appliances.

To illustrate just how challenging the clean-up ahead will be, the province is warning residents not to dispose of animal carcasses or hazardous materials in the bins provided.

Returning residents are also being urged not to consume any water until their wells are inspected, disinfected and tested for chemical and bacterial contamination.

In the meantime, the main highway between Perry’s Cove in the south and Northern Bay in the north, remains closed.