Most of the 5,000 people who left homes east of Halifax to escape a large forest fire were being allowed to return to their properties Sunday evening after firefighters made significant progress.

Drivers on Highway 207 could see plenty of smoke on Saturday from the Porters Lake fire. (Submitted by Kelinda Sloan)

RCMP Cpl. Joe Taplin said most residents who were ordered to leave their homes Saturday could return to their properties Sunday because their neighbourhoods were considered safe.

Fire crews did aerial surveys of the area and were satisfied the fire was at a safe distance from the majority of homes, Taplin said.

However, there were still small areas where the fire was still volatile and about 50 people living in those areas were not yet able to return, police said.

Many displaced residents had been staying with friends and family or in hotels since Friday, when the fire near Porters Lake and Lake Echo moved closer to homes, trailers and cottages.

About 40 people from Porters Lake spent the night at an emergency shelter in nearby Cole Harbour, where RCMP briefed them Sunday morning on what was happening with the fire, 20 kilometres from Halifax.

The winds died down overnight, giving fire crews on the ground and in the air their first real chance at getting the blaze under control. On Saturday, crews managed to gain control of a smaller but still significant forest fire near Tantallon, west of Halifax.

Winds rose to 90 km/h

Winds on Friday and early Saturday in the region had gusts of 90 km/h. Although the winds subsided early Sunday, Taplin said they were expected to pick up later in the day.

On Saturday, police said the blaze destroyed two homes and damaged at least 13 others.

Clive Jones, who lost his home on Candy Mountain Road near Mineville, said the deputy fire chief phoned him to give him the news.

Flames and smoke can be seen close to homes in Mineville. (Submitted by Tettie de Vries)

"He said it was like a firewall, maybe 100 feet or so across, with flames 30 to 40 feet high. He said it just came at them like a building, and I guess it just rushed through the underbrush behind my house.

"Then it didn't stop and carried on, and I guess all I have left now is the foundation wall and the chimney stack," Jones said.

Earlier on Sunday, Taplin said officials escorted about 50 people to their homes Sunday morning to retrieve pets left behind in the hasty retreat from the advancing fire.

Others who hadn't returned home yet included Darren Dymond, his wife and their five-month-old puppy.

"It's not much fun," he said of waiting for news. "It's hard not knowing what's going on with your house and stuff like that. I mean everyone wants to be home.

Seven aircraft involved

"This is not the way you want to spend your weekend, looking at the weather, driving around, coming to a couple of these meetings, just watching the wind mostly, seeing which direction it's blowing, and hopefully it's not blowing toward our house."

Seven aircraft were battling the blaze, which was three kilometres wide and seven kilometres long. There were 125 firefighters on the ground.

Police and fire officials were looking into the cause of the fire.

Taplin said police had been investigating an area near a school in Porters Lake. He said investigators had found a spot where the fire may have started, but were not releasing further details.

Some residents believe the fire fed on fallen trees left in the aftermath of Hurricane Juan, which hit in 2003.

"I feel very upset" said resident Robert Eisenener. "A lot of this could have been prevented."

With files from the Canadian Press