An evacuation order was lifted Monday, allowing residents to return to their homes after a brush fire forced them out of their Halifax suburb.

The order was lifted when police determined the risk of flare-ups was low.

About 5,000 people had to find alternate accommodations when the large, wind-whipped fire broke out on Friday near Porters Lake, a large area east of Halifax. Most of them were allowed to return home Sunday night.

Air and ground crews were still on site Monday monitoring the fire's remaining hot spots.

Two homes were destroyed by the blaze and a dozen other properties suffered serious damage.

Clive Jones's home was destroyed on Friday night. He made his last visit to the site on Monday to retrieve the few mementoes he could find.

However, most of his possessions are gone, including his service record from his time as a chief petty officer in the Royal Navy.

"It's gone. All those captains' signatures, all that history of me moving from ship to ship and what I did and where I was, it's not replaceable," Jones told CTV Atlantic.

But he vows to rebuild a home on the same land, so he can stay close to family and friends.

"I wouldn't want to live anywhere else," said Jones.

Roy Hollett, the deputy fire chief with Halifax Fire Services told CTV's Canada AM on Monday that Sunday marked a change in how firefighters were able to battle the blaze.

"We were lucky the weather cooperated with us and with the aerial assault and ground crews pushing the fire back, by lunch time we were feeling really good about it," he said.

"Regarding the fires, they are still not classified as under control; we are still fighting them. They are not expanding, and at this point are stable in time," he added.

At the height of the incident, more than 125 firefighters were on scene trying to extinguish the flames.

Up to 10 aircraft, including water bombers and helicopters were deployed to the area Monday to concentrate on areas that could quickly flare up if winds were to pick up again.

Public warned to stay away

The public is being asked to avoid the area, including Candy Mountain Road in the area of Mineville.

RCMP Cpl. Joe Taplin said if people can't prove they live in the area, they will be turned away.

"There is still a lot of fire apparatus moving in and around this area ... so we can't have anybody in that area who does not belong there,'' said Taplin.

Four people were arrested over the weekend for sneaking past police barricades.

Meanwhile, Highway 107 is still closed between Exit 18 and 19 so the road can be used as a helicopter landing strip.

Taplin told CTV's Canada AM that the fire's cause is still under investigation.

"Right now we're still in the preliminary stages of the investigation, we believe the fire started just north of the Wonderland Trailer Park. We are working closely with the Department of Natural Resources and HRM Fire Officials to try to determine the exact cause," he said.

Taplin added that the RCMP Forensic Unit was on scene Saturday to photograph the scene and collect evidence. However, it has not yet been deemed to be a criminal case.