News Release
News Release Date: October 20, 2026
Crews will treat 459 acres to restore natural habitats, control invasive species, support wildlife, and reduce wildfire risk
PORTER, Ind. — The National Park Service and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service plan to conduct four prescribed fires at Indiana Dunes National Park this fall. The planned burns cover about 459 acres as part of the park’s natural resources and fuels management programs.
Prescribed fire at Indiana Dunes National Park is an essential part of the park’s long-term natural resources restoration efforts. Fire is a tool to remove invasive species, open tree canopies and increase wildlife habitat. Prescribed fire also reduces the threat of wildfire by removing available fuels before a wildfire occurs. Fire crews from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service coordinate with National Park Service staff to plan and conduct these fires.
About 331 acres will be burned for natural resources restoration adjacent to Beverly Shores in the Derby Ditch prescribed fire. The fire area is west of Beverly Drive, east of East State Park Road and north of the Calumet Trail.
Just south of Dune Acres, 35 acres will be burned adjacent to the Green Belt parking lot on Mineral Springs Road. Burning here is part of the Cowles Bog Restoration Project.
At the eastern end of the park, staff will burn 77 acres around Dunewood Campground. Burning in and around the campground reduces the threat of wildfires during the summer, when the area is busiest.
At the western end of the park, crews will burn 16 acres around the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education on North Lake Street in Gary’s Miller neighborhood to maintain defensible space. Defensible space is a buffer zone of cleared, reduced or modified vegetation and landscaping around a structure intended to slow or halt the spread of wildfire, protect property and help keep firefighters safe.
Smoke may be visible during and after the prescribed fire. Smoke can affect visibility and air quality. Fire managers will monitor smoke conditions and conduct the burn under conditions intended to minimize smoke impacts to local communities. Current air-quality information is available at AirNow.gov. Updates on smoke and fire conditions will be posted on the park Facebook page the day of each prescribed fire.
Residents of Lake and Porter counties may sign up to receive prescribed fire notifications through the Smart911 system. Visit www.smart911.com to sign up for this free service, which provides emergency notifications, a private 911 safety profile and a vulnerable needs registry. The park also announces prescribed fire activity on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IndianaDunesNPS.
— nps.gov —
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Last updated: October 30, 2026