Two teens have been charged for allegedly lighting a bushfire that forced thousands of Sunshine Coast residents to flee their homes to escape the inferno.
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Police alleged a group of young people set the blaze in bushland on Monday afternoon before it quickly spread towards Peregian Beach.
A 14-year-old Peregian Springs boy and a 15-year-old Coolum Beach girl have been charged with endangering particular property by fire.
Police are continuing to investigate, and spot fires are still burning.
It comes after residents who sheltered in strangers' homes during an anxious wait to learn if their own properties had survived were allowed to return.
More than 2500 properties were cleared of 5000 people within 24 hours of the fire the fire starting.
One home was destroyed by the fire and hundreds were threatened.
Throngs of displaced locals cheered when they were told it was safe for them to return to their Peregian Beach, Peregian Breeze, Weyba Downs, Marcus Beach and Castaways Beach homes on Wednesday.
Noosa deputy mayor Frank Wilkie took no chances when he saw a glowing red sky and hot embers raining down on the roof of his family's home.
"I said 'We're getting out of here''", he said after returning to find it still standing on Wednesday.
Ash is spread through parts of his home, the back fence is gone and some trees have been burnt.
The front yards of other houses on his street have been blackened by fire or damaged by smoke, one home is gone, but no one has lost their life.
"I think people will take more seriously the warnings to have a fire survival bag ready to grab at a moment's notice and go," he said.
The community is angry at the teens who allegedly caused the blaze.
"I don't think they want them thrown into jail," Mr Wilkie said.
"I think they want them to fully understand the consequences of what they've done, and work alongside and meet the people who have been affected.
"Give them an opportunity to make amends for what they've done ... and so that we don't lose them, if they're thrown into the juvenile justice system."
Lynette and Mike Rogusky say the evacuation centre where they slept for two nights was overwhelmed by volunteers and offers of homes where people could stay.
They are grateful to those who made them feel comfortable and relieved to find nothing had changed when they got home.
"Everything is fine, just how we left it," she said.
The region received some brief showers overnight but not enough to extinguish the fire.
Forecasts show cooler temperatures and lighter winds on Thursday, however the danger will spike again on Friday and Saturday when they rise again.
Australian Associated Press
