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Oronoco committee approves planned spring prescribed burn; fire chief outlines safety steps
Summary
The Oronoco Parks & Trails Committee voted to accept a fire department plan for a prescribed burn on land west of Sunny View Lane. Fire Chief Johan Senberg said the burn will be coordinated with the state DNR, staged with multiple apparatus and personnel, and preceded by community notifications to reduce smoke impacts.
The Oronoco Parks & Trails Committee on March 2026 voted to accept a prescribed-burn plan put forward by the Oronoco Fire Department, approving the operation and asking staff to notify city council for awareness. Johan Senberg, the Oronoco fire chief, said the burn is planned on the southwest side of town, west of Sunny View Lane, and that the design aims to spare trees while removing thick fuel loads.
"Smoke seen from a ways away, potential for smoke to blow into your yard, into your windows," Senberg said, describing the impacts residents should expect and the types of messages the city will send. He told the committee the department will coordinate directly with a DNR contact and county dispatch on the day of the operation to avoid mistaken reports of an uncontrolled fire.
The chief walked the committee through operational safeguards: staging five of six fire trucks plus tankers and brush rigs, at least 12 trained firefighters and three junior explorers on site, wet lines ahead of drip torches, and hose lines running from a nearby hydrant. Senberg said the training budget will cover the burn, so no additional committee funds are needed.
Committee members pressed Senberg on timing and notification. He said the burn requires favorable conditions — low wind (ideally north or north‑northeast to keep smoke away from neighborhoods), no rain for four to seven days prior, and a target window before vegetation fully greens up; he described setting a primary day and backup day because weather can change quickly.
After the discussion a committee member moved to accept the plan; the motion passed by voice vote. The committee also asked staff to post public notices and use HOA email lists and the city’s social channels so neighbors have time to prepare and ask safety questions. The committee will inform the city council of the approved plan and the department’s coordination with the DNR.
Senberg emphasized the dual purpose of the work: hazard reduction and hands‑on training for firefighters. "This comes out of my training budget," he said, adding the planned operation is standard practice with state oversight for burns of this scale. The committee adjourned the matter to city council for awareness and any needed permits or administrative follow‑up.
