34 Acres Burn In Forest Preserve Brush Fire Near Tinley: Official

TINLEY PARK, IL — A massive brush fire Monday evening burned for two hours and charred more than 30 acres of Cook County forest preserve land, officials said Tuesday morning.

Starting at 6 p.m. Jan. 27, 15 fire departments, coordinated by Tinley Park Fire Department as the incident commander, responded to a wildfire at Bobolink Meadow, near Central Avenue and Flossmoor Road, part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County's Bartel Grassland complex.

Dry conditions and strong winds from the southwest pushed the fire northeast from its origin, said Forest Preserves of Cook County Director of Communications Carl Vogel.

The fire burned more than 34 acres south of the Bobolink Family Picnic Area and west of the treeline before being fully contained by 8 p.m., Vogel said.

Bobolink Meadow has been designated by the state as an Illinois Land and Water Reserve for its high ecological value. The fire was limited to grasslands and downed and dead trees. Since it's winter, there should be little impact to birds and other animals, Vogel said.

The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation by Forest Preserves of Cook County Police, Vogel said.

On Sunday, firefighters battled a 50-acre blaze in a field in another Chicago suburb.

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