EDMONTON (CBC) - A massive bush fire northeast of Edmonton engulfed a rural home and damaged six other houses on Thursday night near the community of Bruderheim.

High winds whipped up the huge blaze in the area, but the winds have since died down, the CBC's Erik Denison reported from the scene late Thursday.

About a dozen people were forced to leave the area, but there were no injuries. Four fire crews from nearby areas were dispatched to battle hotspots and will likely be working throughout the night.

Ken Jones, deputy fire chief with Strathcona County Emergency Services, said the fire was still not under control, but added there was no danger to people in the community of 1,200.

"There's no reason to have concern for the residents of Bruderheim unless they have concerns over smoke or if it is bothering them," he said. "The hazard to the public is primarily one of smoke at this point, but the area is not safe to re-enter."

The fire also consumed a large barn in the area, which is a mixture of farms and acreages.

At one point, fire crews were concerned about oil upgraders in the area being in the path of the blaze.

Jones said the fire did pass over the location of "a few petroleum above-ground facilities, such as pump jacks."

"We did have one small incident related to some gas that was on fire at a particular wellhead," he said. "Think of it as fire from a valve contained to the actual well site itself, no risk to the public, no toxic gas released."

He said the small blaze was quickly extinguished, and the Energy Resources Conservation Board had been notified to alert any petroleum companies in the area.

Early indications point to the fire being started by someone doing some open burning, according to the fire inspector on the scene, the CBC's Denison said.

Grass fire in south end

Earlier in the day, fire crews battled a separate grass fire in the city's extreme south end for several hours.

The fire was first reported around 10 a.m. in an area east of Calgary Trail and south of Ellerslie Road, and had burned about a quarter-section of land by noon, although the flames were never out of control, said Nikki Booth, spokeperson for the city's fire rescue services.

She said up to 50 firefighters and 11 pumper trucks were battling the flames, which were being fed by tall grass and overgrown trees and debris, and fuelled by winds in excess of 40 km/h.

Crews were able to keep the fire from spreading near buildings owned by the Edmonton Scottish Society, and no other property was threatened, Booth said.

The fire was mostly out by mid-afternoon, although crews were still battling hot spots.

The cause is still under investigation.

With files from the Canadian Press

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