This home was destroyed by a brushfire near Opal, Alta., on Thursday night. (CBC)

Diminished winds and increased resources Friday gave firefighters a better chance to fight a fire that was still burning out of control in Thorhild County, northeast of Edmonton.

"Every hour that this wind gives us, gives everybody a chance to get better control on it," said Thorhild County Reeve Charles Newell.

"I think if the wind stays down … by the end of the day, we'll be in a position to be able to start mopping things up."

About 185 firefighters from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and 25 from Thorhild County were on the ground fighting the fire. They were helped by crews operating seven helicopters and 12 bulldozers. Two planes were also on standby, Newell said.

High winds on Thursday helped the fire grow from 10 to 25 square kilometres and spread into Sturgeon County.

By 1 p.m. MT, officials determined the fire covered about 23 square kilometres, after clearing smoke allowed them to get a more accurate measurement.

A rural home in the path of the fire burned to the ground Thursday night. Nobody was injured, and officials said they are doing what they can to help the now-homeless family.

"We had somebody from our office talk to them, and of course they are devastated because of the loss," said Candace Revega, spokeswoman for Thorhild County.

"Victim services is in contact with them and we've offered our support. The RCMP have been in touch with them as well. It's just quite upsetting."

Local state of emergency

The wildfire began near the hamlet of Opal, about 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, on Wednesday afternoon. Thorhild County declared a local state of emergency Thursday after strong winds caused the brushfire to flare up and start burning out of control.

Darren Krankowsky surveys hotspots on his property near Opal on Friday. (CBC) Crews spent the night dousing homes in the fire's path with retardant and building a fireguard around the blaze.

"Everything's gone. At least they saved all my house," Darren Krankowsky said Friday. Krankowsky ended up losing some sheds on his rural property.

Wildfires are common in the area during the spring, but this fire struck Krankowsky as particularly intense.

"Fire in the pines — it’s just like matchsticks. They just go up, whoosh, that’s what pine trees do. Just like matchsticks. You can’t stop it, you can’t slow it down," he said.

Air quality affected

Opal residents were able to spend Thursday night in their homes after the wind shifted direction and an evacuation order was lifted.

The fire that began Wednesday afternoon near Opal was still burning Friday. (Andrea Huncar/CBC News)Alberta health officials issued an air quality advisory for the areas around the fire on Thursday afternoon and for Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Gibbons and Bruderheim on Friday.

"Everyone can have a reaction to the smoke, particularly large amounts of smoke," said Dr. Marcia Johnson, a medical officer with Alberta Health Services.

"It's the fine particulate matter that are very irritating to airways and they irritate some people more than others, particularly those with chronic lung disease."

People in good health were told they shouldn't feel any effects, but those with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema were advised to stay indoors, keep their windows closed and limit activities outside.

Edmonton is about 60 kilometres from the blaze, but people could smell and see smoke in the city on Friday.