Fire
Southern Illinois’ prescribed burns typically take place between the months of October and May. Each year the Shawnee National Forest plans and prepares areas to conduct prescribe burns in various locations across the Shawnee National Forest. While the objectives of each prescribed burn may differ, they all generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
- To stimulate growth of native vegetation that are well-adapted to fire, and impede vegetation that is not.
- To improve wildlife habitat.
- To improve the visual quality of the area.
- To reduce the likelihood and severity of a wildfire, thereby increasing safety for the public and firefighters in case of a wildfire.
Report a Wildfire
If you believe you've encountered a wildfire, get to safe area and report it by phone as soon as possible by calling 911 and they will route it appropriately.
Wildfires may also be reported by calling the Illinois Interagency Coordination Center at (618) 565-1217.
Where are we burning?
Check out the interactive burn map, where you can view and locate past/future prescribed burns, in addition to details related to each burn.
Benefits of Prescribed Fire
Information for local residents, visitors, and landowners about the benefits and impacts of prescribed burns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prescribed fire is a planned fire that is overseen by professionals. Think of it as medicine for the land. Prescribed fires are performed under specific weather conditions and are designed to mimic fire that historically occurred on the forest. Each project follows a carefully prepared prescribed fire plan. It is important to note that because of weather, it is difficult to predict when, or even if, each project will occur. The Forest typically burns between 10,000 and 15,000 acres per year in collaboration with adjacent private landowners, other government agencies, and non-profit organizations between the months of October and May.
The Shawnee National Forest uses fire as a tool to manage our public forests in southern Illinois. Scientific research has shown that fire helps restore and maintain our oak-hickory forests that support native plants, birds, and wildlife.
Good Fire helps:
- Encourage growth of a diverse array of native plant life.
- Ensure oaks remain the keystone species in our forests.
- Oak trees provide food for over 100 different animals and are a key habitat for many more. Without fire, more shade-tolerant tree species will eventually replace oaks.
- Perpetuate prairie and savanna remnants found within the forest.
- These remnant plant communities provide habitat for several earlysuccessional songbird species, such as prairie warblers and red-headed woodpeckers. Maintaining open woodland conditions with fire, supports and increases biological diversity.
- Protect human property by reducing the amount of down, dead wood in the forest. This will reduce the intensity of future wildfires.
Residents may experience smoke during prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow.gov or download the app.
AirNow’s Fire and Smoke map, a collaborative project with the US Forest Service, uses a variety of products including low-cost sensors to provide detailed, up-to-date information that can be critical to users experiencing smoke events.
Off-forest Firefighters
If you are coming to the Shawnee National Forest on a fire assignment, you will need to check in through the Illinois Interagency Coordination Center (ILC). The ILC provides dispatch, logistics, and administrative support for wildland fire suppression and emergency management in Illinois, and is staffed by personnel from the Shawnee National Forest.
ILC / US Forest Service – Shawnee National Forest
Address: 2221 Walnut St., Murphysboro, IL 62966
Email: ililc01.dispatch@usda.gov / ililc@firenet.gov
Phone: 618-565-1217