A field fire south of Lone Oak caused problems for drivers and area homeowners, but was able to be contained to one large wheat field.
The blaze was reported just after 3:00 pm, prompting Lone Oak and Concord Fire Departments to respond.
They surveyed the perimeter of the field through the afternoon and into the evening to keep it from spreading, after realizing the fire was too large to be extinguished.
A member of the Concord Fire Department said the field contains approximately 60 acres, and that the fire was deliberately set to burn off wheat straw after the grain had been harvested. He said the wind spread the fire quicker than the farmers had expected or could contain, but they had plowed around the field to prevent the fire from spreading to lawns and homes.
The field is bordered by Clinton, Mayfield-Metropolis, and Lovelaceville-Florence Station Roads, and there are homes on along the edges of the field on each of those roads. None of them were damaged, but there were reports of residents with homes full of smoke because their air conditioning units sucked surrounding air indoors.
Emergency Management personnel and fire trucks were stationed at intersections to warn drivers of off-and-on low visibility due to smoke, or block the roads if winds picked enough to threaten safe passage.
Here is some video of the blaze:
