Fire crews in Parkland County continue to battle a brush fire near the community of Duffield, west of Edmonton, on Sunday.

According to county officials, the blaze is located between Duffield and Johnnys Lake and is currently spreading both north and south along the railway track.

As a precaution, residents in the subdivisions of Edinburgh Park and Trafalgar Heights were evacuated for the afternoon - just over 50 homes were affected.

Residents were permitted to return to their homes around 8:45 p.m. Sunday evening.

A Sustainable Resource Development helicopter was called in to help fight the fire from the air – crews have been battling the blaze on the ground since before noon.

As of late Sunday evening officials said the fire was just over three kilometres in size, but that a perimeter containing the fire was being held. No word yet on the cause.

Duffield is located about 30 kilometres west of Spruce Grove.