Some Quebec wildfire evacuees return

About 1,000 people forced from the First Nations community of Manawan because of a forest fire were told Saturday they could go home, but the danger from wildfires persists elsewhere in central and northern Quebec.

The Manawan residents received the news after spending two nights in Joliette, 180 kilometres south of Manawan. Many took shelter at a hockey arena, sleeping on military-style cots lining the length of the rink, where they received supplies from the Red Cross.

While firefighters made headway against the fire threatening Manawan, another fire was close to the Wemotaci First Nation, 300 kilometres north of Trois-Rivières. About 1,300 residents remained at shelters in La Tuque, about 190 kilometres from Wemotaci.

Firefighters are keeping a close eye on the winds as they battle almost 60 wildfires which have burned more than 600 square kilometres of forest in Quebec.

Thirteen fires were raging out of control, and gusts of 30 km/h were expected Saturday.