Public safety committee to revisit open‑burning rules after multiple firefighter injuries and surge in calls

Lee County public safety committee members discussed reopening the county's open‑burning rules after several firefighters were seriously injured responding to fires that began as controlled burns in neighboring counties.

Committee members recounted an incident in which five firefighters were injured responding to a burn that became uncontrolled; four of the injured were flown to Rockford for further medical care, a committee member said. The committee also cited a marked increase in controlled‑burn calls: "We've had March 8 to April 8, a 68 calls for control burn. And the following month, he had a hundred and 2," a committee member said.

Committee members said the spread of calls sometimes left volunteer departments depleted and raised concern about repeat offenders who burn during high‑risk days. The committee discussed adding targeted enforcement and penalties focused on repeat offenders rather than penalizing one‑time, small agricultural or ditch‑bank burns.

The committee directed staff, with Jeremy drafting changes to the burning ordinances, to consider revisions that would better target repeat violations and give dispatchers and the public clearer guidance on red‑flag days. Members suggested adding a public notice (for example on the county website) when national weather service red‑flag conditions are in effect.

No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; the committee expects drafts for review next month and suggested fine‑tuning language to balance public safety and routine agricultural practice.