Brush fire burns approximately 80 acres in McHenry Township

A brush fire that began in a McHenry-area cornfield spread rapidly due to windy and dry conditions Saturday, burning approximately 80 acres of open land before it was extinguished, authorities said.

No injuries were reported and no buildings were damaged by the blaze, which firefighters from several departments battled for more than three hours, according to the McHenry Township Fire Protection District.

Firefighters called to the fire in the 3800 block of Buchanan Road, north of McHenry, arrived at about 11:40 a.m. Saturday to find approximately one acre of cornfield burning behind a home. Wind spread the flames quickly, leading the fire district to request assistance from other departments.

Departments responded with brush trucks, ATVs, tenders and technicians to battle the blaze, which was under control by 3 p.m.

Assistance, either on the scene or through companies covering district stations, came from the Barrington-Countryside Fire Protection District, the Beach Park Fire Protection District, the Cary Fire Protection District, the Countryside Fire Protection District, the Crystal Lake Fire Department, the Fox Lake Fire Protection District, Gurnee Fire Department, the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District, the Lake Zurich Fire Department, Libertyville Fire Department, Long Grove Fire Protection District, the Marengo Fire Protection District, the Newport Fire Protection District, the Spring Grove Fire Protection District, the Wauconda Fire Protection District and the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District.