Maritimers who were earning a living in Fort McMurray say their ordeal is far from over.

Some say they're not ready to return to their homes in the Alberta city even though the province is planning a voluntary phased re-entry program, starting Wednesday.

"A lot of them want to go back, which I do, too. But we're scared to go back with the fires still breaking out," said Debbie Hurley, who moved with her husband from New Brunswick to Alberta, where they run a trucking business.

"And when we get back, it's not going to be over because we have a heck of a lot of work to do just to move into our place, what with the smoke damage," she said.

Hurley says her company's drivers have informed her that her home is okay but she's been told it has no power and the water isn't working or it's impotable.

Plan could change

Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee has cautioned the public that the re-entry plan could still be altered if certain safety conditions deteriorate.

Beverly Stears talks to her daughter, Nikola, in Alberta on her smartphone. (Rachel Cave/CBC) Residents have been told that a boil water order will likely remain in effect and are advised to bring enough medication, food and water to last seven days.

"It's still difficult for people not knowing what their life is going to look like for the next month or so," said Nikola Stears, who was raised in Saint John and now works for Syncrude as an evironmental engineer in training.

When the evacuation order came down on May 3, Stears was first bused north to a work camp, then she was bused south to Edmonton when the highways became passable again.

It's still difficult for people not knowing what their life is going to look like for the next month or so. - Nikola Stears, Syncrude employee

That's where she's decided to rent a place for the month of June. She said she'll be able to do her job out of offices on the University of Alberta campus.

She said she misses her apartment, which she believes its still intact.

Although she was able to grab some personal items, she said she left many keepsakes behind, including paintings and jewelry from New Brunswick.

But she recognizes she was lucky. The fire destroyed more than 2,000 structures within the city. It has burned 569,388 hectares in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The province has provided a link to detailed satellite images so people can see what remains of their neighbourhoods and their property.

The government's emergency web site cautions that some images may be hard to look at.