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'Red flag' fire warning issued for parts of the suburbs

If you're planning to burn some yard trimmings or host a backyard bonfire, its best to hold off for a couple of days.

Any outdoor fires are at risk of quickly getting out of control, said the National Weather Service, which issued a "red flag warning" Monday that included McHenry, Lake, Kane, Winnebago, Boone, and Kendall counties.

Strong winds, low humidity, dry brush and warm weather can cause "extremely dangerous" behavior by fires, the weather service reported. The risk is likely to be downgraded Tuesday, but the danger remains, officials said.

Though the alert is targeted to agencies that conduct controlled burns, residents also should avoid lighting fires, meteorologist Kevin Donofrio said.

"These are the critical days," Donofrio said. "If something burns, it could spread really quickly."

Wind plays a big factor. Meteorologists reported 20-foot winds from the south at 15 to 20 mph Monday, with gusts up to 30 mph. A 20-foot wind is the sustained winds averaged over a 10-minute period and measured 20 feet above the average height of vegetation. Agencies use the measurement to help determine fire risk.

There's plenty of fuel on the ground, too. Brush, leaves, twigs and other dead foliage that accumulated over winter have been drying out with days of low humidity.

Fox Lake Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Ed Lescher said residents often underestimate how quickly a fire can spread in these conditions.

"They think they have it under control, and the wind picks up and it spreads," Lescher said.

Lescher said residents who decide to burn outside after the alert ends should remember a few tips:

• Never leave a fire unattended.

• Keep an extinguishing source such as a hose line nearby.

• Keep the fire away from buildings.

• Keep the fire small.

• Wet the area surrounding the fire.

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  Jim O'Connor and members of the Prairie Crossing Environment Management Team burned a prairie last week for students at Prairie Crossing Charter School in Grayslake. The area now is under a red flag warning. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Conditions were good last month for this controlled burn at Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton, but officials warn that the current dry, windy weather means a high risk of any fires getting out of hand. Bev Horne/bhorne@dailyherald.com
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