Numerous fire departments were called to a second-alarm brush fire that damaged nearly 15 acres of land as well as machinery near Harvard Thursday afternoon.
The Harvard Fire Protection District responded around 2:05 p.m. Thursday to the 20700 block of Lembcke Road in unincorporated Harvard for a report of a brush fire.
Initial reports indicated that several acres of grassland were on fire, according to Harvard Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire spreading across open fields and grassland, which was fueled by strong winds and dry ground cover.
Vucha said water had to be transported to the scene using a tender shuttle operation due to no fire hydrants being available in the rural area.
The need for a continuous water supply, along with additional manpower and all-terrain vehicles to access the fire, led to the incident being upgraded through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to the second alarm level.
Firefighters worked to contain the fire, which ultimately burned approximately 14 acres of land, Vucha said.
Several structures were threatened but firefighters successfully protected them from damage.
Vucha said various lawn tractors and small machinery were also damaged in the fire.
Crews remained on the scene extinguishing hot spots until shortly before 5 p.m. No injuries were reported.
Firefighters from Boone County Fire District #2, Boone County Fire District #3, Capron Fire, Fontana, Hebron, Marengo and Woodstock assisted at the scene.
Additional support was provided by the Capron Rescue Squad and the McHenry County Conservation District Police.
“The Harvard Fire Protection District urges residents to use caution with open burns, particularly during dry and windy conditions. Always check local regulations, never leave a fire unattended, and have a water source readily available,” Vucha said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.