How We Burned Kishwaukee Fen

This is a shortened, step by step, story.

For a lot more detail, see the Strategies for Stewards post.

The plan was prepared by Illinois Nature Preserves staff John Nelson. As shown on John's map (below),  with a wind from the southwest, we would start at A and carefully complete a backfire to B. 

Before we start, the area looks like the above. A-B is in the foreground: a degraded, early-stage prairie restoration with not much fuel. In the background are the fens and sedge meadows, with lots of fuel. 

John Nelson ignites the fire. On the north, our fire break is the Kishwaukee River headwaters. 

Next, John lights a backfire. The rest of us make sure it doesn't cross the break. 

Once the fire has consumed the fuel in a strip all the way to the green grass of the golf course, that break is complete. 

Now we start the backfire through heavier fuel along the south bank of the creek. 

At some points, where the fuel was wet and burned poorly, we made a number of strips ... until there was a complete burn wide enough to protect the other side of the creek from the headfire when it came. 

Some areas were somewhat difficult, as downed trees made passage difficult.

We watched such areas carefully. 

Other areas were impossible. There was no practical way to keep the fire from jumping the creek in such a place. At this point we reminded ourselves that an important objective before the next burn would be to clear those downed trees away from the firebreak. But for today, with a bit more effort, we moved the break back to a deer path.

Here, with a bit of care, it worked fine.

This was the hardest work we had to do.We moved slowly. Many of the crew were relatively new to fire control, and we all learned more by doing. 

And now, we've reached point D on the plan. For a refresher, see below.

Once we've finished this break down to the golf course, we're done with the hard work.

This west break was especially quick to complete, because of a pre-prepared break and a hose in case we needed water. 

Now the work is done, and the headfire is lit.

Here, the fire doesn't reach the edge of the golf course, because it stops at the no-fuel area where we've been cutting the buckthorn (and collecting stray golf balls). 

In a few minutes, fire does the work that otherwise takes us days and weeks, where lack of fire had allowed brush to grow dense. Fire keeps the grassland healthy, and a healthy grassland resists invasion by brush. 

Then, within secure firebreaks, the flames wandered around for some time, going out in wet areas of little fuel, and flaming high where the fuel was dense. 

The drone video below by David Martin gives a "hawk's eye view." Note how much bigger the headfire can be, compared to the backfire.

At this point we noticed that one of the raised fens had entirely escaped the burn. The sedge meadow that surrounded it was wet and had little fuel, as last year we had sprayed out the invasive Reed Canary Grass that had been thick there. But it was the fens that were the priority to enrich by burning, so Ben Davies hiked back down with the drip torch and touched it off. 

Here, at the top of the high hanging fen, springs pour out of the moraine. Parts didn't burn simply because of the character of the fen. Those unburned areas we were happy to leave naturally unburned. 

At the end, we gathered for an "after action review." We discuss options, ask questions, explore suggestions, and definitely committed to deal with those nasty invading brush that had given us a hard time along the stream. We need more trained burn leaders and crew, so education and experience are another high priority. Public relations is also important. The golf course was busy, and one of Amy's jobs was to talk with golfers as they came by and answer questions. 

Honor Roll

People deserving recognition:

For preparations: Rebeccah Hartz, Eriko Kojima, Amy Doll, and John Nelson

Burn boss for the day: John Nelson

Crew: John Nelson (INPC), Patti West (Kish volunteer), Ben Davies (Boone County Conservation District and Kish volunteer), Kent Beernink (Kish Volunteer), Sadie Dainko (Kane County Forest Preserves and Kish volunteer), Rebeccah Hartz (Shaw and Somme Woods volunteer), Amy Doll (Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves director and Kish volunteer), Dave Griffith (ILDNR), Ellie Krall (Shaw volunteer), Athena Knisley (Plank Road Prairie volunteer), Justin Hunger (Plank Road Prairie volunteer), and drone videographer David Martin (friend of Amy).  

After the burn, we did a bit more planning for what comes next.

Life is good. 

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Amy Doll and Eriko Kojima for edits and proofing.

Thanks to David Martin for the drone video.