Provincial authorities now estimate around 10,000 residents have returned – after being forced to flee their home communities in northern Saskatchewan due to wildfires.

“We’re very pleased to see a significant reduction in the number of active fires, and that allows more of our communities to repatriate,” Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said Monday.

As of Monday, 13 active wildfires burn across Saskatchewan – down from more than 25 just a week earlier.

Of the fires of note, the Pelican2 and Ditch fires are officially contained. No major changes were reported for the remaining four major fires. The Shoe, JaySmith, Pisew and Wolf fires are all currently uncontained.

Only stretches of Highways 912, 927, 106, 167 remain closed due to wildfire activity.

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), 34 communities are in the process or have already repatriated residents.

Five communities remain under evacuation orders including Creighton, Denare Beach, East Trout Lake, Whelan Bay in addition to P1 and P2 residents from Cumberland House.

“Understanding that some of those communities will be returning to a very different situation than they left,” McLeod added.

Denare Beach remains the most heavily damaged community by the wildfires.

“We have finished our assessments in the East Trout Lake area and the majority of assessments in the Denare Beach area,” SPSA vice president Steve Roberts explained. “We have confirmed structure loss of over 350.”

The values listed in the SPSA’s count includes structures like homes and shops, in addition other types of equipment like quads and boats.

Roberts says the agency is now estimating its count will exceed 500.

Due to improving conditions across the province, the SPSA is set to lift its remaining fire bans at 5 p.m.