News of the Wild

Fall Burn Report

Following last summer’s drought, land managers were able to burn more wet places usually resistant to fire, but limited burns in woods and uplands.

“We were able to get good hot fires through several wetland sites because of the drought,” reports McHenry County Conservation District’s Brad Woodson.

Lake County Forest Preserves were able to burn for nine days at 12 sites. A five-day window in Will County saw crews burning at eight preserves.

December’s below-freezing temperatures brought the fall season to a halt. But mild days through January and February brought crews back out to add more fire to the mix of techniques that bring health to the land.

— Alison Carney Brown