For Immediate Release
March 13, 2009
In the coming weeks, neighbors and passersby may notice signs of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s prescription-burn program at select sites.
Prescription burns, which are quite different than wildfires, are deliberately set, controlled natural-resource-management tools that the District has used for nearly 30 years to restore the health of native prairies, wetlands and woodlands.
Because the safe use of prescription burning depends on proper weather conditions and other natural factors, the District has not set specific dates for its spring prescription-burn season. However, on the day a prescription burn does take place — which is always during daylight hours — District crews post signs, notify local fire-protection agencies and remain at the site with their equipment. If these factors are not present, the public is asked to immediately notify authorities by calling 911.
According to Erik Neidy, the District’s natural resources supervisor, "The District uses prescription burns in part to remove invasive, nonnative vegetation. This improves conditions for native species, which possess a natural advantage, having evolved to coexist with fire."
Prescription burns also hasten the return of elements to the soil by breaking down dead plants, which in turn limits the accumulation of debris that can harm plant growth and prevent rainfall from filtering through the soil. In woodlands, prescription burns remove invasive plants, allowing sunlight to better reach the forest floor to nourish wildflowers and other small plants.
The effects of prescription burns in DuPage County forest preserves are far different from those of wildfires in the West. DuPage woodlands are dominated by deciduous woody plants like oaks, which have adapted to tolerate fire. Thick, corky bark protects the trees and prevents fires from spreading vertically, which keeps the flames close to the ground. In the West, there are more coniferous species, such as pine trees, which are covered with flammable needles that can cause entire trees to ignite and rapidly spread uncontrollable fires from treetop to treetop.
For additional information about the Forest Preserve District’s prescription burn program, visit the Forest Preserve District’s Web site at www.dupageforest.com, or call 630-933-7200.
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Media Contacts: Erik Neidy, Office of Natural Resources, 630-933-7675
Bonnie Olszewski, Office of Public Affairs, 630-871-6402