‘Controlled’ burn in Woodstock gets out of control, scorches 10 acres; flames came within 50 feet of homes

Nearly 10 acres were burned Thursday afternoon in an out-of-control “controlled” burn in Woodstock, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said.

Vucha said the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District was called out for a controlled burn that had become out of control in the 1300 block of East Longwood Drive in Woodstock at 3:10 p.m. Thursday.

Firefighters found heavy fire quickly moving across the property, driven by strong winds, Vucha said.

Several contracted workers were trying to control the fire when crews arrived, and fire crews deployed two UTVs and began fire suppression efforts.

Crews were able to contain the fire but it spread across nearly 10 acres before they did so. Firefighters worked to stop the blaze from encroaching on nearby homes and flames came within 50 feet of backdoors, Vucha said.

No injuries were reported.

“The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District reminds residents that on days like this, dry ground cover is extremely flammable and can cause fires to spread rapidly. It is essential to exercise caution when conducting controlled burns, particularly in windy conditions, and to ensure access to adequate water supplies for fire containment. Following local burning regulations and having a plan in place can help prevent dangerous situations,” Vucha said.

A number of prairie fires have occurred in the county in recent weeks, including one that burned four acres near Marengo earlier this week.

The region, including McHenry and Kane counties, are in for another couple of gusty days, with a wind advisory in effect from noon Friday until 1 a.m. Saturday, and a high wind watch from Saturday morning through afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

During the advisory, south winds at 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph, are expected. The high wind watch is forecast to bring southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph.

The risk including downed trees and power lines, outages and difficulty traveling, especially for taller vehicles.