Controlled Burn Locations

2026

  1. Three Oaks Recreation Area - 3/24/26 & 3/27/26
  2. 16 S. Oriole Trail - 3/27/26
  3. 124 Greenfield Rd - TBD
  4. 146 Crystal Beach Ave - TBD
  5. 165 East End Ave - TBD
  6. 400 Knaack Blvd (Wastewater Treatment Plant Detention Pond) - TBD
  7. 1100 Coventry Ln (Wastewater Treatment Plant pond perimeter) - TBD
  8. East St. Swale - TBD
  9. Fair Oaks Ave - TBD

Benefits of Controlled Burning:

The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department conducts controlled or "prescribed" burns for the City of Crystal Lake.  The Crystal Lake Fire Rescue Department has a team of firefighters that have received specialized training in wildland firefighting and prescribe burn management.  Prescribed burning helps the city maintain native landscapes.  Prescribed burning helps “clean up” an area by eliminating the past year’s materials. Less material build up allows the soils to warm more quickly in the spring resulting in quicker germination of native species and easier regrowth. Native species have deeper root structure to hold soils in place, whereas invasive brush has shallow root zones and when shade keeps the soil bare gullying can occur.  Invasive brush roots can also get into drainage structures of a detention basin preventing proper drainage.  Prescribe burning is a natural way of maintaining native areas and helps to minimize the amount of chemical maintenance needed.  Burning is recommended on a 3–5-year cycle for any native ecosystem.