All evacuees from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation now home, says Red Cross

All 900 evacuees fromSapotaweyak Cree Nation are now home after fleeing wildfires that threatened their community.

The evacuation order was lifted Saturday and people began returning home by personal vehicles to the Manitoba First Nation that day, the Canadian Red Cross said Tuesday.

The remainder were bused back or driven by personal vehicle Monday and Tuesday.

On May 20, wildfires forced roughly 900 peopleto leave the community, about 400 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Evacueeshave been stayingin hotels in The Pas, Swan River and Brandon.

"We are pleased that the evacuees are now back to their homes and resuming their lives," said Cailin Hodder, the Canadian Red Cross's senior manager of disaster management for Manitoba and Nunavut, in a press release.

"The people of Sapotaweyak showed strength and resilience during the time away from their homes."

Residents are now dealing with food spoilage, as the fires knocked out power to the community. Replacement refrigerators have already been shipped to the community and some replacement freezers are on their way, said Hodder.

More than 1,300 evacuees from the Manitoba First Nations of Little Grand Rapids and Pauingassiremain out of their homes, staying in hotels in Winnipeg.

They wereforced to leavestarting on May 22 as a fire almost half the size of Winnipeg neared theFirst Nations, two adjacent communities about 20 kilometres apart and about 270 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

It's unknown when those residents will be able to return home.