N.S. officials said Sunday a brush fire just outside of Halifax was under control and nearly 5,000 evacuees could return home, after firefighters gained the upper hand in battling the blaze.

RCMP Cpl. Joe Taplin said fire crews did aerial surveys and said that the majority of the homes were at a safe distance from the remaining fire.

About 50 people lived in areas too volatile to be allowed home, however. The department of Natural Resources said it expects the fire to be completely under control sometime on Monday.

The brush fire, which originated 30 kilometres east of Halifax in the rural area of Porters Lake, destroyed at least two homes and damaged about five others.

Clive Jones was one of the people told that his house had been lost in the fire.

"At the moment, there is still an element of disbelief. Until I see it with my own eyes, I won't know it's true," Jones, 51, told The Canadian Press.

Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald assured those affected by the fire that the province would provide assistance but did not give specifics.

"There are emergency-type programs available, but there are obviously issues around that if it deals with property, around insurance and things of that nature and whether federal programs would also kick in," he told reporters Sunday.

Residents had been anxious to find out any information about their properties.

"They've told us what they can, they don't want to scare us because there's so many rumours," said evacuee Linda Spears before she was told she could return home.

"Unless we get a phone call, we believe them (that our home is safe.)"

During the evacuation, about 200 people had registered for spots at emergency shelters set up in community centres in the area, but most people found temporary accommodations with friends and family.

Only about 40 residents had stayed at the emergency shelter in Cole Harbour.

Officials said about 125 firefighters were battling the flames on the ground. Another 25 aircraft are also helping the effort.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, but believe they have found where it originated.

Taplin told CTV Atlantic the force had escorted a number of evacuees back to their homes, often to take care of pets left behind.

He also said that rumours of people looting the evacuated homes were untrue.

With files from CTV Atlantic and The Canadian Press