Controlled burning under way

Practice promotes prairie and woodland renewal

A roiling column of smoke always triggers a few telephone calls to the newsroom.

Welcome to the burn season for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and other conservation groups across the state.

On Tuesday, one caller announced that something big was burning west of Route 41, somewhere near Gurnee.

It wasn't Gurnee Mills. It was prescribed burns at Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve and the nearby Wadsworth Savanna on Route 173 east of Route 41.

The forest preserve district has been burning prairies for the past 21 years. Controlled burns replace historical fires that occur naturally. They decrease invasive woody plants, remove dead leaves, and expose the soil and seeds to the sun's rays.

Burning those areas encourages native plants to grow more vigorously and produce more flowers and seed, increasing their populations, according to the district. Wildlife populations are adapted to survive the burns. Most animals are safe underground or up in trees; others move out of the way to avoid fires. Controlled burns are scheduled to avoid the breeding season of native wildlife.

Local fire and police departments are notified before and after each controlled burn. Forest preserve staff closely monitor each burn with appropriate safety equipment and, when necessary, may stay overnight on site.