Multiple separate brush fires burned over 40 acres of land in McHenry County and prompted the response of 10 fire departments just hours apart Wednesday afternoon.
Alex Vucha, the Public Information Officer for the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and Harvard Fire Protection District, said several brush fires occurred on Wednesday across western unincorporated McHenry County.
The fires collectively burned over 40 acres and occurred within hours of each other, requiring “extensive cooperation” between multiple departments and mutual aid partners.
Vucha said the first fire occurred around 12:56 p.m. in the 1500 block of Vermont Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
Firefighters from the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts arrived to find fire moving across a pasture and threatening a nearby barn.
Crews worked in the field to contain and extinguish the fire before it reached the structure.
The barn sustained minor damage and firefighters conducted a full check of the building to ensure there was no hidden fire before clearing the scene.
Approximately three acres of land were burned and Marengo received assistance from the Union and Woodstock fire districts, Vucha said.
The Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts responded around 2 p.m. to a second fire in the 17700 block of Route 176 in unincorporated Union.
Crews arrived to find roughly an acre of land along the roadway actively burning.
Wind conditions caused the fire to intensify in minutes and spread westward through dense woods and heavy vegetation, Vucha said.
The incident was upgraded to a second alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), bringing in brush trucks, UTVs, water tenders and additional personnel.
The fire was brought under control in approximately 90 minutes after burning approximately 20 acres.
The Belvidere, Crystal Lake, Genoa-Kingston, Harvard, McHenry, Pingree Grove, Union, Wonder Lake and Woodstock fire departments assisted.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded around 2:42 p.m. to a brush fire in the 3100 block of Country Club Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
Vucha said firefighters arrived to find a 1,000-foot stretch of land on fire, spreading quickly to the west.
A UTV was used and crews entered the field and were able to contain the fire before it grew further.
The incident lasted approximately 45 minutes and burned roughly eight acres of prairie. No injuries were reported.
The Harvard Fire Protection District responded to a brush fire around 4:46 p.m. in the 4700 block of Alden Road in unincorporated Woodstock.
Fire was seen moving rapidly through cattails on the west side of the property, Vucha said.
Additional assistance, including manpower and a UTV, was requested from the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District.
Firefighters were able to stop the spread before it reached nearby structures. Approximately 12 acres were burned.
All of the fires were determined to be intentionally set by property owners who were attempting controlled burns.
“While the Red Flag Warning has expired, today’s events are a reminder that even seemingly routine burns can quickly grow out of control under the right conditions,” Vucha said.
“Residents are urged to follow all local regulations and take extra caution during dry or windy weather to prevent unnecessary risk. Always have suppression tools and an adequate water source available when conducting any outdoor burn,” Vucha added.