Prescribed Burns

According to the USDA Forest Service, a prescribed burn (also referred to as a controlled burn), is "any fire intentionally ignited to meet specific land management objectives such as to reduce flammable fuels, restore ecosystem health, recycle nutrients, or prepare an area for new trees or vegetation.” Likewise, the Naperville Park District uses spring and fall prescribed ground-level burns as an effective tool to clear the ground of invasive weeds and reduce the amount of leaf and plant debris on the ground with the goal of returning nutrients to the soil and trigger germination of native plants that depend on fire as part of their natural lifecycle. The Park District has a maintenance plan for its parks and specifically a maintenance schedule for each park and natural area across the District. This schedule includes intervals of prescribed burns along with other maintenance initiatives.

History of Prescribed Burns

In Illinois’ early history, prairie fires occurred regularly with lightning strikes and the deep-rooted native prairie plants evolved to withstand fire. Today, trained crews supervise a tightly controlled process that is pre-approved through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Naperville Fire Department.

Staff Certifications

Park District parks staff are responsible for the safe and effective management of prescribed burns. Certification from the State of Illinois requires specific training and experience as established in the Illinois Prescribed Burn Act.

Permits

Naperville Park District must obtain an Open Burn Permit from the IEPA in addition to a permit from the Naperville Fire Department.

When Do Prescribed Burns Take Place?

Although the spring and fall seasons are optimal for conducting prescribed burns, the actual timing depends on several variables including:

Ground temperature following snow melt; the ground needs to be sufficiently warm, but the grass must remain dormant for the burn to be successful
Weather conditions must be favorable with low wind velocity and wind direction specific to burn site
Low chance of precipitation

These parameters result in a limited number of prescribed burns that are able to take place each season.

Learn more about the process of prescribed burns and their importance:

Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council
USDA National Forest Service