UPDATE: September 11, 2012, 1:40 p.m: The city of Lethbridge, county of Lethbridge and the town of Coalhurst have lifted the State of Local Emergency. Anyone who was evacuated by the grassfire may now return home.
Some homes in the county of Lethbridge will be without power until at least this evening.
Fire crews will continue working to douse hot spots, and the public is being asked to call 911 if they come across any hot spots.
A local state of emergency was lifted for the city and county of Lethbridge on Tuesday afternoon, after a massive blaze broke out just outside the southern Alberta city, forcing thousands of residents from their homes.
It started early Monday afternoon on the Blood Reserve just west of highway 509, jumping the Oldman River after being fueled by high winds.
Although officials announced the fire was under control just before 9:30 p.m., firefighters remained on scene working through the night to monitor and extinguish hot spots.
2,200 residents of the nearby town of Coalhurst were forced out for several hours, but allowed to return late Monday night.
The fast-moving blaze on the Blood Reserve burned an estimated 5,000 hectares, and over 100 responders from Lethbridge and surrounding communities were on scene battling it for over eight hours, with the aid of two helicopters and three tanker planes
Officials say it will take a day or two before the fire is completely out.
Those affected by the fires can also go to lethbridge.ca or emergencyalert.alberta.ca for updates.
Viewers have been submitting photos of the smoke - you can view them below:
In addition to the Blood Reserve blaze, about 800 residents in the Town of Milk River were forced to evacuate due to a different fire.
The County of Warner says they believe the blaze originated Saturday due to a combine fire in a farm field on the county of Cardston.
Three to four firemen were treated for smoke and heat.
Two car crashes caused some fire crews to be taken away from firefighting. Although there are no serious injuries, it’s believed the crashes were caused due to a number of emergency vehicles on the road plus, smoke and gawkers.
Officials say they say they haven't had any homes reported burned, but some barns, corals and farm machinery have been.
County of Warner say early estimates are 21,000 acres of earth was scorched by the fire.
A Wildfire alert for that area ended shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
This is the second time in less than a year that grassfires have threatened residents of west Lethbridge and surrounding area.
The Canadian Red Cross says they provided assistance to 379 people at three Reception Centres in the Lethbridge area. Those centres have now been closed.
However, the Red Cross continues to provide lodging, food, clothing, blankets and hygiene kits to 128 people as they wait to hear when they can return home.
Canadian Red Cross is working in collaboration with the City of Lethbridge, the Blood Reserve and the County of Lethbridge.
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2012.