Fire officials say a controlled prairie burn spread out of control and burned approximately 10 acres, coming within 50 feet of nearby homes, in Woodstock Thursday afternoon.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded around 3:10 p.m. Thursday to the 1300 block of East Longwood Drive in Woodstock for a report of a brush fire.
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said it was reported that a controlled prairie burn had spread out of control.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and observed heavy fire rapidly moving across the property driven by strong winds.
Several contracted workers were on the scene attempting to control the fire when crews arrived, Vucha said.
Firefighters deployed two UTVs to initiate fire suppression efforts.
Vucha said firefighters worked to prevent the fire from encroaching on several nearby homes as flames came within 50 feet of backdoors.
The fire spread across nearly 10 acres before crews successfully contained it.
There were no reported injuries.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District said they remind residents that dry ground cover is extremely flammable and can cause fires to spread rapidly.
“It is essential to exercise caution when conducting controlled burns, particularly in windy conditions, and to ensure access to adequate water supplies for fire containment,” Vucha said.
Residents are encouraged to follow local burning regulations and have a plan in place to prevent dangerous situations.