Lake County Gazette

Periods of warm, dry, and windy weather can lead to the dangers of wildfires in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) urges residents to become more vigilant and educated on wildfire safety to prevent incidents of fires. In the last decade, there have been instances of large fires at state park properties.

IDNR suggests several safety tips to help prevent wildfires, including avoiding burning when winds are above 5 miles per hour or when the relative humidity is under 40 percent. Other safety tips include: burn in protected areas with no combustible materials within 10 feet for small fires and 50 feet for larger fires; check the fire weather forecast before burning; avoid welding and grinding in areas with dry vegetation; avoid parking in areas with tall vegetation; campfires should be small, in protected areas, and burned during nighttime hours within fire grates; safely dispose of any lit cigarettes, cigars, or other smoking material; and have a bucket of water and shovel on hand to thoroughly drown out fire prior to leaving the area.

Illinois residents also need to be cognizant of wildfire smoke, which has become more commonplace in recent years. Wildfires burning out west or in Canada can bring a haze of smoky air to Illinois, posing health risks for some. Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particulate matter from burning vegetation and materials.

Prescribed or controlled burns do occur in Illinois and serve several purposes. In the Shawnee National Forest, prescribed burns typically take place between October and May. The objectives of each controlled burn may differ but generally fall into one or more categories: stimulating growth of native vegetation, improving wildlife habitat, enhancing visual quality of the area, and reducing the likelihood and severity of a wildfire.

Native grasses and wildflowers are adapted to survive fires with deep root systems that grow several feet underground. This allows these plants to flourish again following a fire event by taking advantage of fresh nutrients in the soil. Prescribed fires can burn off invasive and unwanted plant species, allowing native grasses and wildflowers to thrive.