Firefighters Put Out Forty Acres of Deliberately Set “Controlled Burns”

From Alex Vucha, Public Information Officer for the Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District, and Harvard Fire Protection District:

Multiple Brush Fires Burn Over 40 Acres Across Western Unincorporated McHenry County

On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, firefighters across the region responded to multiple brush fires that collectively burned over 40 acres of land in western unincorporated McHenry County.

The incidents occurred within hours of each other and required extensive cooperation between multiple departments and mutual aid partners.

1500 block of Vermont Road, Woodstock

The first fire was dispatched at 12:56 p.m. in the 1500 block of Vermont Road in unincorporated Woodstock.

Firefighters from the Marengo Fire & Rescue District arrived to find fire moving across a pasture and threatening a nearby barn.

Crews worked in the field to contain and extinguish the fire before it reached the structure.

Although the barn sustained minor damage, firefighters conducted a full check of the building to ensure there was no hidden fire before clearing the scene.

Approximately three acres of land were burned.

Marengo received assistance from Union and Woodstock.

17700 block of Route 176, Union

While still cleaning up at the first fire, at 2:00 p.m., Marengo firefighters were dispatched to a second fire in the 17700 block of Route 176.

Crews arrived to find roughly an acre of land along the roadway actively burning.

Within minutes, wind conditions caused the fire to intensify and spread westward through dense woods and heavy vegetation.

The call was upgraded to a 2nd alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), bringing in brush trucks, UTVs, water tenders, and additional personnel.

The fire was brought under control in about 90 minutes after burning approximately 20 acres.

Assisting departments included Belvidere, Crystal Lake, Genoa-Kingston, Harvard, McHenry, Pingree Grove, Union, Wonder Lake, and Woodstock.

3100 block of Country Club Road, Woodstock

At 2:42 p.m., while Marengo crews were still operating, the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District responded to a brush fire in the 3100 block of Country Club Road in unincorporated Woodstock.

Firefighters arrived to find a 1,000-foot stretch of land on fire, spreading quickly to the west.

Using a UTV, crews entered the field and were able to contain the fire before it grew further.

The incident lasted about 45 minutes and burned roughly 8 acres of prairie.

No injuries were reported.

4700 block of Alden Road, Woodstock

Later in the afternoon, at 4:46 p.m., the Harvard Fire Protection District was dispatched to a brush fire in the 4700 block of Alden Road, also in unincorporated Woodstock.

Fire was observed moving rapidly through cattails on the west side of the property.

Additional assistance, including manpower and a UTV, was requested from the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District.

Crews were able to stop the spread before it reached nearby structures.

In total, the fire burned approximately 12 acres.

All of the fires were determined to be intentionally set by property owners attempting controlled burns.

While the Red Flag Warning has expired, today’s events are a reminder that even seemingly routine burns can quickly grow out of control under the right conditions.

Residents are urged to follow all local regulations and take extra caution during dry or windy weather to prevent unnecessary risk.

Always have suppression tools and an adequate water source available when conducting any outdoor burn.

Photos are courtesy of the respective agencies. I’ve included the location within the document information.