Conservation Guardians of Northwest Illinois

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The History of Fire

Summer 2008 Newsletter

Prescribed fire (RxFire), or controlled burning, used often by the Guardians and by The Prairie Enthusiasts, is the restoration ecologist’s number one tool for natural areas restoration. However, it can be easy to forget why natural areas require it.

Fire was a common sight in America for millions of years before European settlement. From the eastern seaboard to the forests of the west, our country was frequently “on fire.” It was just as much as part of Nature’s cycle as the dropping of leaves in fall. Some areas burned every 50 to 100 years and some areas burned twice annually, but no place burned as frequently as the Midwest (with the exception of Florida).

Due to the high flammability of oak leaves and prairie grasses, our Midwest ecosystems burned quickly and often. Naturally, lightning strikes caused ignition, but the Native Americans utilized fire for many purposes for thousands of years, especially in areas with high populations of Indians like Northwest Illinois, and they are responsible for retaining the prairie, a man-sustained ecosystem.

Indians burned prairies for many reasons, including to hunt, to ease travel, stimulate flowering, keep lookout points open, for celebration, communication and warfare. It is safe for me to assume that Indians wouldn’t hesitate to burn for the stunning beauty of a vast nighttime burn, too.

These fires raced across the landscape and could travel hundreds of miles in a day, traversing through woodlands, wetlands, ridges and ravines. The fire was not choosy on what it was going to burn; only large rivers would stop it. One report from the 1840s claims that a fire that started in Peoria, Illinois, reached Rockford (Rocky Ford) in just two hours!

Fire shadows created by frequent burning are still visible on the landscape today. Ever wonder why the east side of a river is more wooded than the west? The prevailing winds push the fire toward the east. Since it cannot cross the river, the trees are free to grow on the east bank.

After the end of the Blackhawk War and the exiting of the Indians, fire intervals were reduced but were not entirely eliminated. Fires from camps often escaped, lightning-generated fires continued and locomotives began starting fires as they pushed through the prairies.

Soon, agriculture would dominate and wildfires would become isolated. The wildfires that were feared by pioneers and homesteaders were still fresh in people’s minds and were feared. Our ecosystems began to change at this time as fire retardant agricultural crops were preferred.

Throughout the 20th century railroad rights of way were maintained with fire by railroad companies to reduce brush. This is why so many ‘railroad prairies’ exist today. Locals in Jo Daviess County can remember the railroads from Blanding Landing to East Dubuque being burned with regularity in order to keep brush down. Herbicides do this today.

The first people to duplicate wildfire as a tool for restoring natural areas is debated, but it was most likely Aldo Leopold or some of the University of Wisconsin professors working on Curtis Prairie in the 1940s. This was a good start, but soon after Smokey the Bear was born…

Smokey the Bear is the longest running public service campaign in the United States. A highly successful campaign, it reached out to all Americans and taught them that fire was bad for the environment. This public relations stint cancelled all headway to utilize RxFire as a land management tool until the 1970s, although “Smokey” still remains a barrier today with many baby boomers.

As our remnant ecosystems became fire intolerant and those remaining were succumbing to invasive species, the 1970s and 1980s saw increased use and research of RxFire. In the Midwest prairie preservationists were becoming arsonists, and some of the leading scientists were screaming for reform on the current federal wildfire procedures. The blessing in disguise came in 1988, with the wildfires at Yellowstone National Park. Initially, these fires were reported as destructive and Time called them an “American Tragedy.” In the years following the fire the ecological response was very positive and soon the reputation of wildfires changed for the better.

Since the early 1990s RxFire started becoming widely accepted among conservationists, especially in the Midwest. Since the upswing began, the study of fire effects on specific ecosystems and its harboring species has been a very interesting discipline. We are still learning a lot about fire effects on plants, insects and animals. However, the results have been conclusive. Because the Midwest contains ecosystems where fire occurred frequently, the consensus has become: We need more of it if we want our native species to persist and thrive.

After millions of years of living with fire, our native species became tolerant and sometimes dependent on fire. We are now hearing many interesting theories and research findings. For instance: Some say our mammals and amphibians gained claws in order to dig holes quickly to create shelter from fires. And a study published last year showed that certain prairie seeds require smoke contact in order to germinate. Oak trees will germinate at higher rates when woodlands are burned. We are also learning about using fire to control health issues such as Lyme disease.

With all of that said, I must note that ecologists are also realizing that too much fire can be detrimental and that different burning techniques and varied timing can offer greater results. For that reason a burn prescription should be conducted by an experienced ecologist who can quantify all of the factors and is aware of the goals for a site. Of course, the safety issues surrounding a prescribed fire are ones that should never be taken lightly, either.

Remember, folks, when you are volunteering on a burn or are observing one in the distance, you are seeing the world’s oldest and most effective form of land management and one that is certainly “local.”

— Cory Ritterbusch

[Cory Ritterbusch's landscaping and ecological restoration company is called Prairie Works. 815-751-7400]