Wildfire — Kankakee, Illinois

2024-10-06 · Kankakee, Illinois

Wider weather episode

A large wildfire burned 400 acres of cropland northeast of Herscher in Kankakee County during the afternoon of the 6th. According to one online news source, the fire was believed to be started from the rear cropper mechanism of a combine. The same news source lists an estimated loss of $320,000, a majority of which was corn and the rest soy. The fire took several hours and the help of multiple fire crews to extinguish and burned a total of around 400 acres worth of crops; 300 of corn and 100 of soybeans. A Special Weather Statement was in effect at the time advertising an elevated fire danger for the day due to gusty winds and dry fuels, especially south of I-80. Numerous smaller fires broke out across northern Illinois on the 6th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1218010. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.