Prescribed Burn ProgramA controlled prairie burn with smoke and low flames moving through dry grass and brush.

Since 2005, the West Des Moines Parks & Recreation Department has used prescribed burns to manage public land. A prescribed burn is a controlled fire set by professionals to improve the health of local ecosystems like prairies and wetlands.

Why We Use Controlled Fires

For thousands of years, natural fires shaped Iowa’s landscape. Without fire, invasive plants take over, hurting water quality and wildlife. We use fire as a tool to:

  • Improve Safety: Reduce the buildup of dead plants that could cause dangerous wildfires.
  • Protect Nature: Help native wildflowers and grasses grow while removing invasive species.
  • Save Resources: Lower the cost of mowing and the need for chemical pesticides.
  • Clean Water: Help prairie plants grow deeper roots, which filters rainwater better.

Our Professional Standards

Safety is our top priority. Our team follows strict rules before any fire is started:

  • Trained Staff: Our team receives annual training from the Iowa DNR and follows the same standards as national wildfire firefighters.
  • Permits: We obtain official permits from Polk County Air Quality and the Iowa DNR before every season.
  • Weather Monitoring: We only burn when wind speed, direction, and humidity are exactly right to keep smoke away from homes and schools.

Planned Burn Locations

We rotate burns across various city parks and trails, including:

  • Raccoon River Park
  • Southwoods Park
  • City Hall and Library grounds
  • Jordan Creek Trail
  • Ashawa, Crossroads, and Valley View Parks

Stay Informed

We notify the public through local news and social media before a burn begins. If you have questions or want to request a specific notification, please contact us:

Smoke Management

Managing smoke is the most challenging part of a controlled burn. We prioritize the safety of residents and travelers by carefully planning each fire. To keep the air clear and safe, we follow these steps:

  • Weather Checks: We only burn when wind speed and direction will carry smoke away from houses, schools, and businesses.
  • Timing: Burns usually happen between 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM when the air allows smoke to lift and disperse quickly.
  • Debris Removal: We remove trash and heavy logs from the area before lighting the fire to prevent extra smoke.
  • Sectional Burning: We break large areas into small sections. This allows us to stop the fire quickly if the weather changes.

Trained City staff monitoring a controlled burn in a wooded park area to ensure public safety.Our Burn Day Procedures

On the day of a planned burn, our "Burn Boss" follows a strict safety checklist to coordinate with local emergency services:

  • Final Approval: We get a final "go" from the West Des Moines Fire Marshal and notify Westcom (dispatch) before starting.
  • Test Fire: We light a very small area first to confirm that the smoke and fire behave exactly as predicted.
  • Constant Monitoring: Staff remain on-site until the fire is completely out to ensure the area is safe.
  • Completion: Once the burn is finished and extinguished, we notify Westcom that the operation is over.

Want to learn more?
You can view our Parks Maintenance page for more information on how we care for our city's natural areas.