Conducting Burns

MRCP will assist in burn units that meet the following criteria:
  • A permanently protected area
  • A natural area
  • A natural area owned by a Land Trust 
  • A privately owned natural area that is not protected.   This is a lower fire priority, but will be considered.
  • MRCP will serve as burn boss only on sites owned by MRCP.  We will assist on other sites.
How to create fire breaks
  1. To help you figure out where to burn, host someone with experience to your land to look at the possibilities of implementing fire. Figure out how big a burn unit should be, where fire breaks could be installed and maintained, and identify challenges up front.
  2. When installing fire breaks consider using mineral soil driveways, roads, and interior lanes.
  3. Mow the vegetation as low as possible.
  4. Stumps should be cut or ground flush to the ground and overhanging brush trimmed back.
  5. Typically, woodland fire breaks are at least wide enough for a UTV-type water sprayer.
  6. Leaves can be leaf blown or raked from the break.
  7. Obstacles such as wet patches, can sometimes be traversed with a culvert or rock.  
  8. Straight fire breaks offer a better line of site than curved breaks. Wider is better than narrower.
  9. Big burn units are better in many ways than small burn units.
  10. Review that any buildings on the property have mowed vegetation around them, leaves raked from their sides.  Think about what your neighbors have. Typically, people have huge lawns around structures but it is worth looking.
For more information about prescribed fire in Illinois visit the Illinois Prescribed Fire Council website.