Firefighters in Nova Scotia say a raging brush fire near Halifax that has already destroyed two houses is out of control.

"It's much too early to even provide an estimate about when this will be under control," Roy Hollett, deputy chief of the Halifax Regional Fire Department told CTV Atlantic early Saturday evening.

Officials also said that the fire, which is burning in a rural area surrounding Porters Lake, has grown since Friday night. It is now three kilometres wide and 15 kilometres long.

Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly told CTV Newsnet that more than 2,000 homes have been evacuated. More suburbs were expected to be evacuated Saturday.

About 100 firefighters were desperately trying to keep the flames from spreading -- and a call for help was put out to all volunteer firefighters in the area.

Seven aircraft are assisting the operation.

Earlier in the day, firefighters had said winds, which had died down overnight, had gained strength again. This made their work tougher.

"The winds are picking up and that's what's helping the fire. It would be great if it would turn back on its burned area, that way it's got nothing to burn," Hollett said Saturday morning.

The head of the fire remains difficult for firefighters to track - as it is changing directions up to three times an hour. Another problem is that the fire is fuelled by the amount of deadwood left over from 2003's Hurricane Juan.

"The fire is extremely unpredictable," Hollett said.

On Saturday, emergency officials reported that about 5,000 people have been left homeless by the brush fire. About 200 people have registered at emergency shelters set up in some local community centres.

Cole Harbour Place is being used as a shelter and an information point. Many residents are desperate to know what has become of their homes.

Evacuee Marian Waltman, 56, said the experience has left people frustrated.

"You feel helpless because you can't go back, you can't go help," she said.

"I wish I was a firefighter and on the front line fighting not only for your own house but for all the other houses and all the other people with the pets inside and the people losing everything."

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Joe Taplin said that two people have been arrested for trying to sneak past the barricade.

"Our main objective is the safety of the firefighters, the safety of the residents and the protection of property," he told reporters.

The fire began Friday afternoon, and its billowing smoke could be seen 30 kilometres away in Halifax.

Investigators are still trying to determine the fire's cause. They believe they have found the spot where the fire originated.

With files from The Canadian Press