RED Center, who dispatches for the Prospect Heights Fire Department, received a call around 4PM this afternoon reporting a large brush fire in the Potawatami Woods Forest Preserve off Portwine Road in the Prospect Heights Fire District. They dispatched the call as an upgraded working fire based on the caller telling them that an area roughly the size of a football field was involved.
Long Grove Brush 55 was the first unit able to make it back into the area that was burning. Larry Shapiro photo
The first units reported a header and found a significant fire in the forest preserve. They realized that the fire covered a vast area and would require more manpower than what was on the initial response. Firefighters from Prospect Heights, Wheeling, and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods walked back into the woods with a brush rig from Long Grove. Much of the ground was soft which resulted in several vehicles becoming stuck during the operation.
Prospect Heights firefighters use hand tools to try and extinguish the fire at the edge of the burn area. Larry Shapiro photo
Flames flared up along the burn area faster than the hand crews could get to them. Larry Shapiro photo
Long Grove Brush 55 was used to supply handlines. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro was at the scene and submitted several images. Tim Olk was also at the scene. His images will be in a subsequent post.
An officer from Long Grove is deploying a wildland progressive hose pack. Larry Shapiro photo
As the fire got hold of larger fuel loads, large flare-ups appeared until the fuel load was consumed. Larry Shapiro photo
The alarm was elevated to a MABAS Brush Fire Box Alarm which brought additional companies including water tenders, brush units, and engines from the Countryside Fire District, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Elk Grove Township, and Fox River Grove.
Tall grasses ignited and created thick black smoke and intense heat. Larry Shapiro photo
As the wind carried the fire into the tall grasses, high flames produced intense heat and thick black smoke that cold be seen for miles.
A firefighter waits for a 1" wildland hoseline to be charged. Larry Shapiro photo
Water is deployed as the tall grasses are fully involved on the south end of the site. Larry Shapiro photo
Another line is stretched into position. Larry Shapiro photo
Complicating matters for dispatchers was that simultaneously the Barrington Fire Department had a large brush fire at the box alarm level which called for some of the same companies that would have been due into Prospect Heights.
A handline is deployed along the edge of the burn area. Larry Shapiro photo
Firefighters stretch a line from the Countryside FPD Tanker 411 which was brought to the burn area and used to nurse Long Grove Brush 55. Larry Shapiro photo
An image showing the burn area after the fires were contained. Larry Shapiro photo
No injuries were reported at the scene and as the fire was contained, the Cook County Forest Preserve Conservation Team (wildland firefighters) arrived to complete the mop-up.
More images can be found HERE and HERE.
Larry Shapiro will provide a video from the fire when it is assembled.
