Iowa DNR to begin prescribed burns for Great Lakes region in March

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — If you see a fire near the Great Lakes, don’t panic! The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has planned prescribed burns for the region beginning in March.

According to the DNR, these burns will take place in Dickinson, O’Brien, Lyon, and Sioux counties starting on March 1 and will happen until May 20.

The DNR does these annual burns to help improve habitats for wildlife, control invasive plant species, and maintain native plant communities. Ground nesting birds can benefit from the burnings.

The DNR rotates the burn areas every one to five years and the size of the area of the burn in those areas also may vary. Burns can cover anywhere between just a few acres to several hundred, the DNR said.

Areas with burns planned in Dickinson County include Spring Run, Cayler Prairie, Center Lake, Christopherson Slough, Diamond Lake, Dugout Creek, Garlock Slough, hales Slough, Jemmerson Slough, Kettleson Hogsback, Welch Lake, and West Okoboji.

In O’Brien County, burns are scheduled within the Waterman Prairie wildlife complex, north of Highway 10, five miles east of Peterson, and four miles east and south of Sutherland.

In Lyon and Sioux counties, burns are planned along the Big Sioux River.

Any questions about the burns should be directed to 712-330-4543 or 712-336-1485.