Prescription burn season returns to DuPage preserves

Specially trained crews from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County will be conducting prescription burns in coming weeks at selected sites in area preserves.

The district has used this deliberately set, controlled, natural resource management tool for more than 35 years to restore native prairies, wetlands and woodlands.

Prescription burns generally take place in late fall after the season's vegetation has died and in early spring before new vegetation emerges.

"A common misconception of prescription burns is that they are destroying our lands," forest preserve President Joe Cantore said. "But fire has always been Mother Nature's way to restore what once was. Prescription burns play a vital role in maintaining our natural areas."

Conducting the burns depends on daily weather conditions and many other factors, so the district cannot schedule them in advance. Notifications are mailed to residents who live near planned burn locations, and on the morning of a burn, the district posts signs and notifies local fire departments.

Specially trained crews remain on the site throughout the process, which takes place only during daylight hours. If these factors are not present, the public should call 911 because they may be witnessing a wildfire.

"Fire is an important tool in our restoration tool box," said district Director of Natural Resources Erik Neidy. "Prescription burns help us control invasive, exotic plants so desirable native species with deep root systems can thrive."

Prescription burns are not to be confused with the catastrophic, uncontrolled wildfires that occur in the dense coniferous forests of the West, where an overabundance of flammable materials often enables fires to burn at extremely high temperatures and spread uncontrollably from treetop to treetop.

"Our oak and hickory woodlands in the Midwest do not provide the same type of fuel to cause the wildfires we see in the news," Neidy said.

"Prairies and forests used to burn regularly and were essential to the American landscape before the land was developed with homes and farms. We are bringing fire back to safely re-create what nature once did on its own."

During the 2017-18 season, district crews conducted 95 prescribed burns, covering 2,477 acres in 26 preserves - the most in more than 20 burn seasons. Of those, 55 percent were woodlands, 39 percent prairie and 6 percent wetlands. November and March were the biggest burn months.