Residents of the Canadian town of Jasper have been allowed back in for the first time since a major wildfire raged through the town late last month. In late July, all 25,000 residents and tourists living in Jasper or the nearby national park were forced to leave. Just two days later, the fire reached the site again, destroying part of Jasper’s neighborhoods.

according to CBC Radio Canada Of Jasper’s 1,113 buildings, 358 have been destroyed. The fire has ravaged neighborhoods on the city’s south side. Drone images from the broadcaster show entire streets flattened.

So returning to devastated Jasper is tough for residents. “This is our community,” one resident said on the side of the road as the gates to the site reopened. “This is where we raised our children and it’s going to look very different.”

“We still have a long way to go and it will be tough,” Mayor Richard Ireland said on the council’s Instagram account. “But we will come out of this stronger.”

The Canadian Rockies have been ravaged by major wildfires for weeks. In late July, the fires came so close to the town of Jasper that everyone was ordered to evacuate. Several hundred Dutch people were also forced to leave.

Jasper National Park is a popular tourist area, with about two million people visiting each year. The park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

The fires in the park are not out yet. A state of emergency remains in effect in the area and residents should be prepared to leave at any time.

Since the fire department was able to contain part of the fire, residents can now safely return to Jasper. The fire is expected to burn in the park for several months.

About 33,000 hectares of nature in the region have already been burned. Climate scientists say global warming is increasing the risk of forest fires.