Crews control North Battleford fire

Some homes in North Battleford, Sask. were evacuated after a grass fire broke out in a farmer's field, although the flames appear to be under control.

The fire started around noon Wednesday on the northwest edge of the city, just metres from houses in the Killdeer neighbourhood.

RCMP asked people in several homes in the Killdeer neighbourhood to leave. 

At one point, the fire jumped across Territorial Drive, but that portion of the blaze was extinguished, Fire Chief Pat MacIsaac said.

Alex Kovak, who lives 50 metres from the field where the fire was burning, said the situation could have been much worse.

"If the wind would have switched to the northeast, we would have had a problem," Kovak said. "It could have taken quite a chunk of town out." 

Kovak said farmers with large equipment were helping fire crews battle the flames.

There is no word on the cause of the fire.