5 Alarm Brush Fire - in Chicago?

[jboczek]

Heard on the news a little while ago about a 5 alarm brush fire in Chicago area. Anybody from the Northern delegation know anything else about this? I didn't know there was that many trees left up there!

[jboczek]

A large brush fire was burning this morning in the Illinois Beach State Park near Beach Park and Zion.

Beach Park Fire Department Trustee Ted Zelek said firefighters from at least 15 departments were battling the blaze, which started late last night in the state park, along Lake Michigan about 50 miles north of Chicago and just south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line.

Officials said the 5-alarm fire started about 11 p.m. Sunday and initially was brought under control, but the wind shifted and rekindled the flames. By daybreak, the flames were burning westward toward the intersection of Sheridan and Wadsworth Roads.

Zelek said firefighters are working to contain the blaze and keep it away from railroad tracks of the Metra Union Pacific North line and some homes west of the tracks, about a quarter-mile away.

Metra officials said the fire has not affected commuter rail service.

About 100 acres have burned so far. The fire is in a marshy area, making it difficult for firefighters to reach it. The cause of the blaze was unknown.

WGN-Ch. 9 and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

[pcfdcap1]

At least it can't burn too far East

[jaybird210]

They ought to have plenty of water.

Aurora had one a couple weeks ago. I am told after their guys had drug something like 400' of 4" and several hundred feet of 1-1/2" and 1-3/4" (spent two hours with this nonsense) they finally had their neighbors to the north come in. North Aurora suggested calling one the their MABAS boxes for a brush fire. In 15 minutes they had 6 brush trucks on the scene and the fire was out in another half hour or so.

Not saying anything against Aurora, they are a damn fine department, but it's what can happen when you take somebody out of their element, I guess.

'Course, the bastards didn't call us!:rolleyes: :p :D :D

[ChiefReason]

Jaybird210 wrote:
'Course, the bastards didn't call us!
I suppose there would be a reason for that!:p
But, really; think about it. How much time do you suppose large urban and suburban departments train on brush fires? They probably treat them like a rubbish fire. It's not like fire racing through a building. One racing through bean stubble or prairie grass can go a long ways. At least with a building, you stand a good chance of containing it within the four walls.
But a field fire? I had a trustee come up to us one night while we were fighting a real nasty field fire and he asked one of my guys, "how many fire trucks does it take to put out a field fire?"
The trustee was a farmer and was clueless. But on that night, it took 5 trucks and a tractor with a disk to stop this one.
Brush/field fires suck. They can also be very dangerous and they will tax the physical fitness of your firefighters to the limit.
Don't underestimate them or take them lightly. Four-inch high bean stubble will generate a flame six feet high. I have the pictures!
TC & SS.
CR

[jboczek]

You're right about the bean stubble, CR. The hottest field fire I remember being on was stubble. It was muddy and we couldn't get a truck in. We used flappers and it was so hot you could hardly get close enough to swat it out. We did win.
Watched the WGN news at noon. They did get it out, but I think only because it got to the RR tracks. Saw a picture of a guy putting out some ties on the tracks so it did get to the tracks. I heard something about 100 acrea burning at one time. That's a pretty good fire. It was all prairie land and no buildings around. They should have just let it burn anyway. Hard for FFs to just let something burn, though.

[btroutm]

Fox News Chicago: Still no cause known for a brush fire up near the Illinois/Wisconsin border that burned 450 acres before being brought under control. The fire broke out last night at the Illinois State Beach Park near Zion. No one was hurt and firefighters took control before homes in the area were threatened.