(AP) — It took firefighters several hours to extinguish a stubborn field fire kept alive by gusty winds that at one point threatened the community of Bradshaw.

Firefighters were called to the fire about 11:15 a.m. Thursday in a field filled with corn stubble.

Crews fought the fire for about three hours as wind gusts topping 50 mph pushed flames toward U.S. Highway 34. Because of smoke, officials directed traffic along part of the highway.

Bradshaw Fire Chief Todd Hellerich says firefighters would douse the flames, but the wind would ignite embers. He feared those gusts would carry embers into Bradshaw and threaten buildings, but crews managed to finally extinguish the fire.

Bradshaw is a city of about 275 people. It’s 14 miles west of York.