50 Acres Burned During Fire At Deer Grove East Forest Preserve

PALATINE, IL — The Palatine Fire Department said 50 acres of grass and marshland were burned during a brush fire Wednesday at Deer Grove East Forest Preserve. In a release, the fire department said it received a report of a brush fire in the northeast corner of the forest preserve at 10:46 a.m., near the intersection of Dee Lane and Preserve Drive. Within four minutes, the first engine crew arrived at the scene and reported the small fire, according to a release.

However, winds from the southwest caused the flames to quickly spread, as more crews were requested to protect the areas along Hicks Road and Rand Road, according to a release. While the fire was stopped in these areas, high and dry grass caused the fire to move South toward the forest preserve's bike trails. The department said firefighters from the Forest Preserve District of Cook County's Department of Resource Management were asked to help control the spread of the flames.

It took over 25 firefighters, three engines, four command officers, two brush trucks and additional assistance over three hours to get the fire under control because the flames were mainly located in a marshland, and a perimeter surrounded the area to keep the fire in check, the department said.

The Cook County Forest Preserve Police and Palatine Police assisted with crowd control and safety at the scene, in addition to help from several local departments. The department said no mandatory evacuations were ordered and no members of the public, or fire and police personnel were injured.

The department said the fire appears to be accidental, and reminds everyone to use extreme caution in disposing of smoking materials and with any heat-producing products in dry, windy conditions in fields or brush.