No injuries in brush fire at Deer Grove East preserve

No injuries were reported after about 50 acres of grass and marshland was burned in what's believed to have been an accidental fire Wednesday at Deer Grove East Forest Preserve near Palatine, authorities said.

Palatine Fire Department officials said they received a report at 10:46 a.m. about a brush fire in the northeast corner of the Deer Grove East near Dee Lane and Preserve Drive. After arriving within four minutes, firefighters started attacking the flames with hand tools, but a slight south-southwest wind caused the fire to grow rapidly.

Crews then went to protect downwind exposures toward Hicks and Rand roads, including the United Parcel Service facility near the preserve, fire officials said Thursday. While the fire never got near Hicks and Rand, it moved south along high, dry grass toward forest preserve biking trails.

Wildland firefighters from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Department of Resource Management helped Palatine crews to control the spread of the flames by the trails.

Roughly 25 firefighters worked the brush fire. It was declared under control at 2:09 p.m. and did not cause any damage to structures or vehicles.

No evacuations were ordered, and no one was injured by the approximately 50-acre fire. Palatine received assistance at the scene from the Arlington Heights, Palatine Rural, Hoffman Estates and Barrington Countryside fire departments.