Grass fire burns in St. Clements, inside Brokenhead Ojibway Nation

A grass fire is burning on the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and in an area just a few minutes beforethe communityabout 50 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

Flames were shooting from a field off a gravel road nearHighway 59 in St. Clementsaround 1 p.m. Sunday.

East Selkirk fire chief Kevin ZacharkiwtoldCBCNews the fire began sometime Saturday night around 6 p.m. The cause is unknown at this time.

The chief of the Brokenheadfire department, Ray Bear, was watching as his crews kept an eye on and at time fought the other side of the fire in Brokenhead, just a few minutes from whereZacharkiw's crew was stationed.

He said his crewshadthe fire off of Highway 59 under control Saturday until the wind changed.

Bear saidfirefighters had the blaze containedaround 2 p.m. Sunday and he hoped that meant no evacuations would be needed, however he said the situation could change again.

Backup called in

The department had to call in back up from neighbouring communities with fire departments. Smoke was billowing throughout the First Nation, and fields very close to houses were completelytorched.

Beartold CBC News two houses were at risk on the First Nation, but they should be safe now that the fire is under control.

Cheyenne Prince lives in Brokenhead and went to bed worried Saturday. The momwas prepared to evacuate her home Sunday morning with her kids if the fires had continued to burnout of control.

She said the fire, which her dad is helping to fight,came close to her house at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

"And we just kept on watching it to see if it would come closer, but then it just went [away from us] fast."