CALGARY -- More than a dozen Alberta wildland firefighters, along with two helicopters and an air tanker, are all actively fighting a large blaze Saturday.
Officials with the Municipal District of Bighorn say the fire began at about 4 p.m. Friday near the base of Blackrock Mountain in the forest reserve near Township Road 270.
The fire, which has since grown to a size of 86.5 hectares, is about 25 km west of the hamlet of Benchlands.
There are, however, no buildings or properties at risk at this time.
"Fire investigation is underway and Provincial fire crews are advising people to stay clear of the operational area. The MD of Bighorn will provide updates with new information as it becomes available from the province," the MD said in a statement on its website.
According to Alberta Wildfire, the danger for the Calgary Forest Area is rated as very high in the north and extreme in the south.
There have been 596 wildfires in Alberta since March 1 that burned a total of 867.4 hectares.
By this time in 2019, there had been 954 wildfires that burned 836,353.03 hectares.
