Will County forest district: Safety at forefront of controlled fires at preserves

Will County — The Forest Preserve District of Will County is working to educate residents on the necessity of controlled burns in protecting the balance of the local ecosystems

The presentation, titled “Why We Burn” was Thursday at the forest preserve district’s Sugar Creek Administration Center in Joliet and detailed the reasons and methods taken into consideration.

“Fire has occurred in Will County for thousands of years, and it is only until relatively recently that fire has not been a regular occurrence on the landscape,” said Nick Budde, the district’s ecological coordinator.

“This cessation of fire coincides with the degradation and loss of nearly all our native-dominated natural areas. ... Fire stopped and the prairie was gone. The few remaining natural areas that we manage require fire to be as functional, healthy and resilient as possible,” he said.

As explained on the Forest Preserve District’s website, native plants evolved with the constant presence of wildfires, which means that many of them are either naturally resistant to it – such as native hickory and oak trees – or actually need it in order to thrive, including certain evergreen species whose cones need the extreme heat of fire in order to properly germinate.

Additionally, controlled burns can help clear out areas that have become overgrown and eliminate invasive species that choke out more desirable plants, making the ground more suitable for new seeds.

The right conditions

In order to maintain these conditions without risking damage to neighboring areas, wildlife and humans, the forest preserve district plans and executes controlled burns of select areas.

“A lot of planning goes into deciding where, when and how we burn,” Budde said in his presentation. “Additionally, a lot of effort and time goes into preparing sites we intend to burn.”

Controlled burns take place in spring and fall, and weather is the main factor for their timing.

“We can only do controlled burns when there is adequate dormant, dry vegetation to carry a fire,” Budde said.

While areas are selected for burns months in advance, the exact timing must take into account a number of factors including:

• Relative humidity under 60%

• Dry conditions for at least two days prior to burning

• Low wind speeds

• Wind blowing away from sensitive areas

• Mild temperatures

• Atmospheric conditions that allow for optimal smoke dispersal to minimize the effects on roads and neighboring communities

Protecting wildlife

Ecologists planning a burn must take into consideration the presence of local wildlife.

“Whenever practical, sites are divided into multiple burn units so that there is always unburned habitat within the preserve,” according to the forest preserve district website. “Controlled burn participants routinely walk through the burn units afterward to look for injured animals and have learned to burn in a manner that results in very few injuries or mortalities.”

While the forest preserve district acknowledges that an occasional animal is injured, it is not common.

Areas are burned in a way that ensures there are enough insects left in the area to “accomplish the pollination and decomposition needs of the next growing season” if other insects are killed in the fires, according to the district.

Preparing for burns

Before an area is burned, Budde emphasized “we do not just go out and light a match,” and said a lot of resources and preparation are involved in making sure the burn remains contained and safe.

Some preparations include mowing burn breaks into the grassy areas to create barriers to spreading fire and clearing leaves and dead limbs from the planned burn area to eliminate excess fuel for the fire.

Local fire departments are notified.

Certain areas of preserves may be closed off to the public during burn periods, and the forest preserve district has protocols in place to inform the local community.

“When we are burning, a burn map is published on our website to show people where the fires will be occurring. Also, postcards go to people within 250 feet of the burn unit, letting them know a prescribed burn is planned for that preserve,” said the district Public Information Officer Cindy Wojdyla Cain.

Reverse 911 calls go out the evening before a burn to all people within ½ mile of the burn unit, she said. This allows for people who may be negatively impacted by smoke, including those with asthma and allergies, to plan accordingly.

Wojdyla Cain said only landlines or registered cellphones are called with the reverse 911 system, so residents who wish to be notified should visit the Will County Emergency Management Agency website to register their phone.

The forest preserve district staff was pleased with the public’s involvement in Thursday’s program.

“There was a great energy in the room. There was an eagerness to learn and understand prescribed burning in a wider context,” said Forest Preserve Recreation Coordinator Em Wilcher.

There is a lot of activity at the scene of a controlled burn, between personnel and equipment present, Budde said.

“Giving people some context for that from an ecological and land management perspective is important. It is also important that people understand that we do a lot of planning and site preparation before we show up to a site to carry out a controlled burn,” Budde said.

Residents who would like to learn more about controlled burns can visit the Forest Preserve District of Will County website, www.reconnectwithnature.

It is possible to become a volunteer to assist in future controlled burns by signing up through the district’s Prairie People Volunteer program and undergoing safety training.