Kane County Forest Preserve District Plans Prescribed Burns: See Where

KANE COUNTY, IL — The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is planning controlled burns at 60 forest preserves across the county this season.

The forest preserve district plans prescribed burns at prairies, woodlands and wetlands each spring to restore and maintain the sites' ecological health. The burns help release nutrients and expose bare soil to sunlight so native plants can flourish, officials said.

The fire also reduces non-native brush, including buckthorn and honeysuckle.

Before the burn, staff survey the preserve and create a detailed plan, then carefully monitor the weather to minimize the chance of smoke blowing toward homes and roads.

A portion of the following preserves will be affected:

• Almon Underwood Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Andersen Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Arlene Shoemaker Forest Preserve in Aurora
• Aurora West Forest Preserve in Aurora
• Barnes Forest Preserve in Aurora
• Big Rock Forest Preserve in Big Rock
• Binnie Forest Preserve in West Dundee
• Blackberry Maples Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Bliss Woods Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove
• Bolcum Road Wetlands Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Bowes Creek Greenway Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Bowes Creek Woods Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Brunner Family Forest Preserve in Dundee
• Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Burlington
• Burnidge Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Campton Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Culver Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove
• Dick Young Forest Preserve in Batavia
• Eagles Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Elburn Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Fabyan Forest Preserve in Geneva
• Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Fox River Bluff Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Fox River Bluff West Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Fox River Forested Fen Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Fox River Shores Forest Preserve in Carpentersville
• Freeman Kame - Meagher Forest Preserve in Gilberts
• Glenwood Park Forest Preserve in Batavia
• Grunwald Farms Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Gunnar Anderson Forest Preserve in Geneva
• Great Western Trail - 64 Triangle
• Great Western Trail - Brown Rd.
• Hampshire Forest Preserve in Hampshire
• Hannaford Woods/Nickels Farm Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove
• Helm Woods Forest Preserve in Barrington Hills
• Hoscheit Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Johnson's Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve in South Elgin
• Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve in South Elgin
• Lake Run Forest Preserve in Aurora
• LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Les Arends Forest Preserve in Batavia
• Lone Grove Forest Preserve in Maple Park
• McLean Fen Forest Preserve in South Elgin
• Meissner Prairie - Corron Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Mill Creek Forest Preserve in Batavia
• Mill Creek Greenway Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Muirhead Springs Forest Preserve in Hampshire
• Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora
• Otter Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Pingree Grove Forest Preserve in Pingree Grove
• Prairie Green Forest Preserve in Geneva
• Raceway Woods Forest Preserve in Carpentersville
• Raymond St. Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Sauer Family Prairie Kame Forest Preserve in Elburn
• Schweitzer Woods Forest Preserve in West Dundee
• Stony Creek in Elgin
• Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve in St. Charles
• Tyler Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin
• Willoughby Farms Forest Preserve in West Dundee

Staff will notify residents and local authorities before initiating a prescribed burn and after it's complete. Locals with questions can call the forest preserve district at 630-232-5980.