Officials: Burning Christmas tree sparks 20-acre brush fire in Wauconda

A brush fire in Wauconda burned for more than three hours Wednesday afternoon, resulting in a large emergency service response.

The fire was reported just after 2 p.m. near the 29000 block of North Virginia Lane, Wauconda, according to Wauconda Battalion Chief John Spratt. Responding crews found a brush fire in a field behind several houses.

The fire eventually prompted a 2nd alarm Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Call, triggering responses from more than 40 different units around northwestern Illinois. The fire was extinguished after three hours and burned roughly 20 acres, Spratt said.

The cause of the fire was determined to be embers blowing from a burning Christmas tree. No injuries were reported.