It's Time for Prescribed Burns

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

In the spring and fall, when conditions are just right, parks staff conduct prescribed burns of our natural areas. 

• Wildfires are a natural part of the landscape in Illinois, as well as many environments throughout the U.S., and have occurred on their own for thousands of years.
• Lightning strikes can start wildfires, and in the past Native Americans purposefully started fires, the first people to recognize the importance of this practice.
• Unlike wildfires out west, prescribed burn tend to move more slowly, especially in woodlands, due limited plant material compared to the highly flammable, resinous pine trees of the western states.
• Prescribed burns are part of our management strategy for creating healthy ecosystems. These burns help to control non-native, invasive species like garlic mustard and honeysuckle, which can take over our natural areas.
  • Our native prairie species have deep root systems, allowing the underground parts of the plant to survive even if the above ground part of the plant is gone.
  • Our native trees, like Bur Oak, have thick bark to protect them from fires.
  • Non-native plants, not as well adapted to our area, tend to have more shallow root systems which cannot survive having most of the plant destroyed in a fire.
  • This practice also releases nutrients, found in the ash, for our native plants to absorb and use for growth.

From winter's brown vegetation to charred black ground to spring's green foliage, these natural areas bounce back quickly, allowing new growth to start with just a few days!

To learn more about our prescribed burn management, listen to our ParkTalk Podcast, Prescribed Burns and Natural Maintenance.