Residents of fire-ravaged northern Alberta communities in and near Slave Lake are finally learning if their homes were engulfed by flames.

The town has released a detailed photographic map which shows 374 lots were destroyed by the wildfires that swept through the area Sunday evening. Another 52 lots were damaged. There is also a map of homes in the nearby Municipal District of Lesser Slave River which shows 59 lots were destroyed and 32 were damaged.

Flames forced roughly 7,000 people to flee from their homes.

Slave Lake Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee says many residents will be heartbroken by the news, but they need to know.

“This is a very emotional undertaking for everyone involved,” she said Thursday as the maps were shown to people at evacuation centres in Athabasca, Westlock and Edmonton.

“I understand the anxiety residents have felt since being evacuated, not knowing if their home or business had been damaged or destroyed.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach are to tour the communities Friday.

Officials say it will be weeks before people are allowed to move back to the undamaged homes.

Alberta is working on a plan to get people out of evacuation centres and into temporary homes and to help students who have been forced from school.

The provincial Housing Department says people whose homes were not destroyed will be placed in short-term accommodation such as hotels until they can return home, with help from the Red Cross. Spokesman Dan Laville says residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged will get assistance finding longer-term rental accommodation. Details of the plan are to be announced in the coming days.

“Our goal is to help people move out of the evacuation centres as soon as we can,” Laville said.