DENHAM SPRINGS - Firefighters spent Tuesday afternoon battling a large grass fire in Livingston Parish. 

Emergency responders were called out to the fire around 3 p.m., near the corner of Arnold Road and Myers Road. Residents in the area reported seeing heavy smoke in the area, and video at the scene showed smoke obscuring the nearby highway. 

Officials on the scene told WBRZ that some living nearby were put on standby for a possible evacuation order as the fire spread. As of around 5 p.m. the fire had been largely contained.

Livingston fire officials said the flames started as workers were baling hay.

"Well they were baling hay, and the hay baler caught on fire and caught the hay on fire," Fire Chief Joe Koczrowski said. "It got hot, and it's dry out here and the hay caught on fire... It spontaneously caught on fire."

The fire chief added that the flames nearly spread to a house on Arnold Road, but firefighters were able to stop the spread before it reached anyone's home. 

Officials said criminal charges would not be pursued.