Last week, a 25-acre wildfire spread within the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge on Fort Morgan Road in an area that is closed to public access, to the west of the Kiva Dunes Golf Course.

Jeremy Edwardson, project leader for the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, said the fire likely started from a lightning strike.

"Lightning associated with summer storms in the area is a common and historical natural source for starting wildfires," he said.

Emergency personnel first responded to the fire Thursday, July 31, but, if the lightning did cause the fire, it could have struck several days before the fire spread, Edwardson said.

Of the nearly 7,400 acres managed by the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Edwardson said the fire remains within a 25-acre footprint as of Aug. 6.

Despite the fire, he said there has already been some new growth seen in the fire footprint and wildlife has been spotted in the area as well.

“This area is a fire adapted ecosystem,” he said. “Although there may be some tree mortality due to the intensity of the fire in some areas, the area will recover favorably.”

Multiple agencies partnered to respond to the wildfire, he said, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alabama Forestry Commission and Fort Morgan Fire Department, among others. He said the community partnerships were "vital in a successful response."

"We encourage all communities, businesses and homeowners at risk of wildfire impacts to participate in 'Firewise' approaches to help protect life and property," he said.

According to the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) website section on Firewise, the program encourages community members to work together to decrease risks of wildfires before they start.

Some of the practices recommended by the NFPA included cleaning out gutters regularly and clearing sticks and dead leaves from around homes. For more information, visit www.firewise.org.

After the fire was contained, as of Aug. 2, Edwardson said some areas within the fire lines may still burn with visible smoke possibly showing in some areas.