Angela Canning rushed to the highway Wednesday morning to wave at the stream of vehicles heading back to Yellowknife as an evacuation order was lifted three weeks after a nearby wildfire forced the city害羞草研究所檚 20,000 residents out of their homes.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very excited to have life come back to the city,害羞草研究所� Canning said.

The order for the capital of the Northwest Territories, which also included the First Nation communities of Dettah and N害羞草研究所橠ilo, was downgraded Wednesday to an evacuation alert. The fire was considered held, meaning it wasn害羞草研究所檛 expected to grow under current conditions.

Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty posted on social media that she requested the order be lifted at 11 a.m., an hour earlier than planned.

害羞草研究所淪afe travels home today,害羞草研究所� Alty said.

A giant banner that says 害羞草研究所渨elcome home害羞草研究所� is up at the road entering Yellowknife to greet the thousands of vehicles that are expected to travel back to the city in the coming days.

Canning said she joined others by the sign to cheer on the first vehicles that drove into the community after the order was lifted. There was honking and waving as the drive-by celebrations marked a step toward normal life.

Canning knows the relief of returning home. She stayed in a camping trailer for 17 days in Fort Providence, southwest of Yellowknife. She was able to return over the weekend because her husband is an essential worker.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know if I害羞草研究所檒l ever want to go camping again,害羞草研究所� she said.

Tens of thousands of people were forced to flee by road and air when the evacuation order came into effect Aug. 16 due to an encroaching wildfire.

Kelsey Worth packed up her children, two cats and dog and drove to Alberta 害羞草研究所� first to Calgary, then High River, before settling in the hamlet of Cayley.

She plans to pick up groceries and other items before beginning the long drive north Thursday.

Worth said she doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to be back at work until Monday, so she is waiting an extra day so as not to clog up the highway with more traffic.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got a few extra days where we can take it a little slower,害羞草研究所� she said.

Government officials have said they are making plans to keep the highway safe for those returning. They are also ensuring there are places for people to get fuel.

The first flight back to the territorial capital arrived Wednesday morning.

The Yellowknife Co-op said its shelves are stocked with groceries.

The city said its solid waste facility is to open Thursday and garbage pickup is also to start that day.

Residents have been advised they should prepare to be self-reliant for 72 hours upon their return.

Most people left Yellowknife by road, but thousands also took flights with destinations in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.

The territory害羞草研究所檚 Emergency Management Organization has said more than 2,000 people have registered for re-entry flights.

For those who stayed in the territorial capital, it has been a welcome relief to see the faces of essential workers who began returning over the last few days.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been very tough days, long days 害羞草研究所� and not just for people on the ground, but evacuees who have been separated from their homes and families and friends,害羞草研究所� said Kieron Testart, who works with Yellowknives Dene First Nation emergency operations.

Testart said people returning to Yellowknife will likely feel relieved, but there are others elsewhere in the territory who still can害羞草研究所檛 go back. Thousands of people living in Hay River and Fort Smith, who were ordered out days before Yellowknife, remain displaced from their homes.

害羞草研究所淭here are many northerners 害羞草研究所� who aren害羞草研究所檛 coming home,害羞草研究所� Testart said.

害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 forget about them, too. It害羞草研究所檚 truly devastating.害羞草研究所�

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