A firefighter extinguishes hot spots during Thursday’s field fire at the Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve. (Sean McGowan photo)

The Maeystown, Waterloo, Red Bud and Prairie du Rocher fire departments responded shortly after 3:15 p.m. Thursday to a large field fire at the Paul Wightman Subterranean Nature Preserve in the area of MM Road between Kaskaskia Road and G Road south of St. Joe.

The Waterloo and Red Bud fire departments assisted Maeystown by sending brush trucks to the scene.

Strong wind gusts made it difficult to control the flames in the high grass of the nature preserve.