Wildfire in Waukegan Sends Massive Flames and Smoke for Miles, Triggers Major Fire Department Response

Zupec said the fire originated south of the intersection and expanded northward, moving toward the NRG Waukegan Generating Station.

The incident was elevated to a second-alarm response through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), prompting assistance from fire departments across Lake, McHenry, and Kenosha counties. The MABAS Wildland Task Force was also dispatched, Zupec said.

Waukegan firefighters deployed multiple hose lines in an effort to contain the fire ahead of the wildland team’s arrival. Additional resources, including brush trucks and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), were utilized to combat the flames.

The fire was largely contained by approximately 8:30 p.m., according to Zupec. Crews remained on scene for about another hour to extinguish remaining hot spots.

Drones were deployed to provide aerial assessments of the fire’s scope. Several ComEd field crews also responded to address damage to power poles caused by the fire. While some power outages were reported in Waukegan, service was restored later that evening.

Zupec said the fire spanned at least several acres, though an exact size was not immediately available. No injuries were reported.

The Metra Police Department also responded, as the fire was burning near railroad tracks.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Waukegan Fire Department.