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The Northwestern Air plane crashed near Fort Smith, a small town about 740 kilometres south of Yellowknife, north of the Alberta border.

Angela Canning rushed to the highway Wednesday morning to wave at the stream of vehicles heading back to Yellowknife as the evacuation order was lifted.

Angela Canning, a Yellowknife resident, told the Canadian Press that she and others cheered when they saw the "Welcome Home" sign on their drive back.

Bears have been seen on the empty streets of Yellowknife, attracted by left rubbish while their habitats are destroyed by the fires.

Fire crews also continued to battle a blaze near the Northwest Territories capital of Yellowknife.