Multiple Minnesota and Wisconsin parks scheduled for prescribed fires this spring

Cory Knudsen KSTP

Many parks and prairies in Minnesota and Wisconsin will have prescribed fires conducted this spring.

Firstly, the city of Eden Prairie’s parks and natural resources staff, along with the fire department, will conduct prescribed prairie burns at multiple locations.

The burn locations include:

  • Cedar Hills Park
  • Cummins-Phipps-Grill House
  • Edenvale Park
  • Hidden Ponds Park
  • Miller Park
  • Nesbitt Preserve Park
  • Prairie Bluff Conservation Area
  • Riley Lake Park
  • Staring Lake Park

These burns help the growth and long-term survival of the native prairie by controlling invasive plants. After burning, the plants will regrow in the spring and produce a variety of new species, according to the city of Eden Prairie.

In addition, the National Park Service (NPS) will carry out prescribed fires from April 24 – May 31 on about 348 acres in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway corridor.

The NPS conducts these fires to improve prairie and savanna habitats along the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers.

The areas for these prescribed fires include:

  • Olson’s Prairie: 13 acres in the Webb Lake Township of Burnett County, Wisconsin.
  • Peaslee Island: a 113-acre site located in Polk County, three miles south of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
  • Rice Lake Flats: 40 acres in St. Croix County, five miles northwest of Somerset, Wisconsin.
  • Springbrook: a 69-acre site located in Washburn County, less than one mile north of Springbrook, WI.
  • Sterling and Sunrise Prairies: 18 and 14 acres, respectively, in Burnett County, ten miles west of Cushing, WI.
  • Wild Mountain: an 81-acre site located in Chisago County, six miles north of Taylor Falls, Minnesota.

According to the NPS, detailed plans have been made for prescribed fires and they will be carried out by trained professionals. These plans address weather conditions, equipment, safety and other considerations when considering whether a burn can occur safely.

The prescribed fires will be rescheduled if conditions are not ideal on the day of the planned fire.

Updates, including exact days and specific locations of the planned, will be posted to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway website.