Shawnee National Forest Plans Prescribed Fires

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The Shawnee National Forest is planning a series of prescribed fire operations this spring in several counties in Southern Illinois, pending required approvals. The prescribed fires are intended to help reduce overgrown vegetation and protect local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from wildfires.

Why it matters

Prescribed fires are a common forest management tool used to mitigate the risk of larger, more dangerous wildfires by clearing out excess vegetation. This helps protect nearby communities and ensures the long-term health of the forest ecosystem.

The details

The planned prescribed fires range in size from 60 acres to over 2,000 acres across Hardin, Johnson, Pope, Saline, Alexander, Jackson, and Union counties. Officials will be monitoring weather conditions closely and may cancel or postpone the burns if conditions are not favorable. The public is advised to watch for warning signs and be aware of potential smoke in the area during the prescribed fire operations.

• The prescribed fire operations are planned for this spring, pending required approvals.
• Officials will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins and may cancel or postpone scheduled activities if conditions warrant.

What’s next

Officials will continue to monitor weather conditions and provide updates on the prescribed fire operations through the forest website, social media channels, and the interagency incident information system InciWeb.