Prescribed Burns

Project Details

  • Estimated Schedule

  • Impact

    Minor

Project Information

flames, smoke, a person wearing yellow protective gear lighting dried vegetation

The City of Madison Parks and Engineering Divisions conduct prescribed burns to promote the establishment and maintain the existing native vegetation, as part of the Madison Parks Land Management Plan

Prescribed burns are the intentional use of fire, under specific environmental conditions, to manage and suppress invasive vegetation. Many of Wisconsin's native species have adapted to survive or benefit from fire events, while at the same time, the presence of invasive or undesirable species is reduced.

Prescribed burns occur after comprehensive planning and under specific weather conditions conducive to a safe and manageable operation. Read more Prescribed Burns: Reducing Wildfire Risks & Protecting Habitats.

Important

We are often asked for the date we will burn at a specific park. This page provides planned locations. An exact schedule is impossible to provide as burns depend on specific weather conditions: 

  • Temperatures: above 40 degrees and relative humidity between 20% and 50%
  • Wind: speed and direction influence which locations are ideal for burning to prevent dense smoke from affecting sensitive areas like roadways and neighborhoods. 

2026 Parks Sites

Spring Park Sites 

Contact Hannah Quinlan 608-267-4918

Organized alphabetically, see Parks A to Z for park locations. 

SiteAddress
Acewood Conservation Park4504 Deerwood Dr
Apple Ridge Park4017 Cosgrove Dr
Blackhawk Park741 Bear Claw Way 
Cardinal Glenn Park426 Pine Lawn Parkway
Cherokee Marsh Mendota Unit38 Knutson Drive
Cherokee Marsh North Unit6098 N Sherman Ave.
Cherokee Marsh South Unit802 Wheeler Road
Door Creek Park6901 Bluff Point Dr 
Dudgeon School Park3201 Cross Street
Edna Taylor Conservation Park802 Femrite Drive
Elvehjem Sanctuary1299 Meadowlark Drive
Elver Park1232 McKenna Blvd 
Esther Beach 2802 Waunona Way 
Flagstone Park8325 Flagstone Dr 
Galaxy Park132 Milky Way 
Garner Park333 S. Rosa Rd.
General Rain gardens burn planVarious
Glen Oak Hills Park301 Glen Hwy
Goodman Park1402 Wingra Creek Pkwy
Greenside Park29 Greenside Cir.
Hiestand Park225 Wittwer Rd 
Hill Creek Park9818 Hill Creek Dr.
Hoyt Park3902 Regent St.
Huegel Park2701 Prairie Rd 
Ice Age Ridge Park3502 Ice Age Dr 
Junction Ridge  Park8502 Elderberry rd.
Kettle Pond Conservation Park5805 Old Middleton Road
Kennedy Park5104 Retana Dr 
Knollwood Conservation Park3334 Westview Lane
Marshall Park2101 Allen Blvd.
McPike Park202 S Ingersoll St
Moraine Woods Conservation Park2550 Woods Road
Nesbitt Open Space6601 & 6513 Nesbitt Road
Odana Hills Golf Course (Butterfly Prairie)4635 Odana Road
Olbrich Botanical Gardens3330 Atwood Ave.
Olin Park1156 Olin-Turville Court
Owen Conservation Park6021 Old Sauk Road
Owl Creek Park23 Horned Owl Dr 
Paunack Park6399 Bridge Rd
Penn Park2101 Fisher St.
Reindahl Park1810 Parkside Dr 
Skyview Park1419 E. Skyline Dr.
Stricker's Pond Conservation Park7214 Longmeadow Road
Sycamore Park4514 Nakoosa Trail
Turville Point Conservation Park1155 Olin-Turville Court
Vilas Park702 S Randall Ave 
Walnut Grove Park202 N Westfield Rd.
Warner Beach1101 Woodward Dr 
Warner Park1606 Trailsway 
Westmorland Park4114 Tokay Blvd
Wexford Park1201 N Westfield Rd 
Woodland Hills Park834 Pebble Beach Dr 
Worthington Park3102 Worthington Ave

2026 Engineering Sites

City of Madison Engineering Sites

Contact Maddie Dumas 608-266-9525

Organized by Alder District.

Informal Site NameAddressDistrict
Pine Hill Dr Pond810 Pine Hill Dr1
Caldera Biobasins6031 Saturn Dr3
Caldera Biobasins6031 Caldera St3
Saturn Dr S Pond401 Galileo Dr3
Saturn Dr N Pond6212 Saturn Dr3
Saturn Dr N Greenway130 Rustic Dr3
Ragan St Pond6029 Driscoll Dr3
Sauk Creek Haen Family Park Pollinator Plantings7598 Tree Ln9
Big Stone Trail Pond614 Big Stone Trl9
Eagle Trace Pond10101 White Fox Ln9
White Fox @ Schewe Bike Path Pond10010 White Fox Ln9
White Fox @ Dragon Willow Pond530 Dragon Willow Ln9
Straw Harvest @ Elderberry Pond403 Straw Harvest Ln9
SWBP Odana Pollinator PlantingIntersection of SWBP @ Odana Rd11
Regent St MediansIn median across from 5026 Regent St; At intersection of Eau Claire Ave and Regent St11
Odana Hills Rain Garden5201 Milward Dr11
Indian Hills Rain Garden5001 Flambeau Rd11
Adams St @ Campbell St1555 Adams St13
Bernie's Beach901 Gilson St13
Edgewood @ Madison Rain Gardens2122 Madison St13
Vilas Park Rain GardenNo address; within Vilas Park down path from Van Buren & Vilas intersection 13
Vilas Beach Rain GardenNo address; East of park building at Vilas Beach13
Woodrow Rain Garden890 Woodrow Street13
Bram St Pollinator Planting221 Bram St14
Moorland Rd East Rain Garden1201 Moorland Rd14
East Dean Golf Course Pollinator PlantingAt S end of access path between 225 and 301 E Dean Ave15
Atwood Prairie202 Corry St15
OB Sherry Shoreline Pollinator Planting30 Leon St15
Ivy St Rain GardensEast dead end of Ivy St both N and S of bike path15
Upper Mud Lake Pond665 Star Spangled Trl16
Zeier Rd BiobasinRow adjacent to 1621 N Thompson Dr17
City View Pond2110 City View Dr17
Sycamore Pollinator Planting830 Jana Ln17
Spring Harbor Rain Garden5417 Lake Mendota Dr19

2025 Engineering Sites

City of Madison Engineering Sites

Contact Maddie Dumas 608-266-9525

Organized by Alder District.

District 1

  • Hawks Woods System Pond, 10006 Soaring Sky Run
  • LBMC Midtown-Woods Retention Pond, 1951 Woods Rd
  • Ashworth Dr Pond, 2009 Hawks Ridge Dr
  • South Point Facility Rain Garden, 400 South Point Rd
  • Watts & Gingergrass Greenway, 9902 Watts Rd

District 3

  • Milky Way Bio-retention, 439 Milky Way

District 6

  • Capital City Trail at Russell St Rain Garden, 348 Russell St
  • Merry St Rain Garden, north dead end of Merry St
  • Tenney Park Rain Gardens, Marston St
  • Hancock St Rain Gardens, on terrace of S Hancock St on northeast edge of 1 S Butler surface lot

District 7

  • UBMC Regional West Confluence Ponds, 2802 S High Point Rd

District 9

  • Old Sauk Rain Garden, 8210 Old Sauk Rd

District 10

  • Barton & Rae Median Rain Garden, median along Barton Rd between Rae Ln at W and Cameron Dr at E
  • Allied Drive Bio Pond, 2419 Dunns Marsh Ter

District 10, 11

  • Southwest Bike Path Council Crest Pollinator Planting, 3901 Odana Rd
  • Waban Hillslope at Chippewa Ct & Council Crest, adjacent to 4150 Council Crest

District 11

  • Odana Hills Park Rain Garden, 5201 Milward Dr
  • Regent St Median Rain Garden, in median at intersection of Regent St and N Eau Claire Ave
  • Beltline at SW Bike Path Pond, adjacent to 850 Cabot Ln

District 12

  • Dayton & North St rain Garden, northwest of intersection of Dayton and North St
  • Warner Park Rain Garden, 2301 Sheridan Dr

District 13, 11

  • Glenway Ravine on Southwest Bike Path Native Planting, 600 Glenway St

District 15

  • Starkweather Creek Shoreline, 331 N Marquette St, 3054/3052 E Washington Ave
  • Starkweather Dr Terrace Planting, Starkweather Dr from Dawes St to Hargrove St  
  • Dixon St Greenway, 2977 Milwaukee St

District 17

  • West Starkweather Creek Greenway – Portage Rd section, 4603 Di Loreto Ave
  • West Starkweather – USH 151 Greenway, 4662 Hayes Rd
  • High Crossing Pond 5th Addition & Infiltration Pond, 2110 City View Dr
  • Lien Rd Biopond, adjacent to 1621 N Thompson Dr
  • Edgewood & Madison Rain Gardens, south dead end of Madison St at Edgewood Ave
  • Fox & Commonwealth Rain Garden, southeast of intersection of Fox Ave and Commonwealth Ave

District 19

  • University Row Bio Basin, 123 University Ave
  • Inner Dr, northwest of bike path, southwest of intersection of Keelson Dr & Inner Dr
  • Grassman Pond, 6027 Old Middleton Rd

2025 Park Sites

Fall Park Sites 

Organized alphabetically, see Parks A to Z for park locations. 

  • Acewood Conservation Park
  • Cardinal Glen Park
  • Carpenter-Ridgeway Park
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North Unit
  • Dudgeon School Park
  • Eagle Trace Park
  • Edna Taylor Conservation Park
  • Elver Park
  • Galaxy Park
  • Garner Park
  • Huegel Park
  • Ice Age Ridge Park
  • Kennedy Park
  • Kingston-Onyx Park
  • Manchester Park
  • Mayfair Park
  • North Star Park
  • Olin Park
  • Owen Conservation Park
  • Paunack Park
  • Secret Places Park
  • Stricker's Pond Conservation Park
  • Sycamore Park
  • Turville Point Conservation Park
  • Vilas Park
  • Warner Park
  • Woodland Hills Park

Spring Parks Sites

Organized alphabetically, see Parks A to Z for park locations. 

  • Acewood Park
  • Baxter Park
  • Burrows Park
  • Cardinal Glen Park
  • Carpenter-Ridgeway Park
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, Mendota Unit
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, North Unit
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, South Unit
  • Cypress Spray Park
  • Door Creek Park
  • Eagle Trace Park
  • Edna Taylor Conservation Park
  • Elvehjem Sanctuary
  • Galaxy Park
  • Garner Park
  • Heritage Prairie Conservation Park
  • Hiestand Woods Conservation Park
  • Hoyt Park
  • Hudson Park
  • Ice Age Ridge Park
  • Indian Springs Park
  • Kingswood Park
  • Knollwood Conservation Park
  • McClellan Park
  • McGinnis Park
  • Meadow Ridge Park
  • North Star Park
  • Odana Hills Park
  • Olbrich Gardens
  • Orlando Bell Park
  • Owen Conservation Park
  • Paunack Park
  • Prairie Ridge Conservation Park
  • Raymond Ridge Park
  • Reindahl Park
  • Reservoir Park
  • Reston Heights Park
  • Stricker's Pond
  • Sycamore Park
  • Tenney Park
  • The Glen Golf Park
  • Thousand Oaks Park
  • Turville Point Conservation Park
  • Vilas Park
  • Walnut Grove
  • Warner Park
  • Wexford Park
  • Wingra Park
  • Woodland Hills Park

2024 Park & Engineering Sites

Park Sites

  • Baxter Park
  • Bear Mound Park
  • Brittingham Park
  • Burr Jones Park
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North Unit
  • Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - South Unit
  • Cherokee Marsh Mendota Unit
  • Cypress Spray Park
  • Door Creek Park
  • Edna Taylor Conservation Park
  • Elver Park
  • Glacier Creek Park
  • Goodman Park
  • Heritage Prairie Conservation Park
  • High Crossing Park
  • Indian Springs Park
  • James Madison Park
  • Junction Ridge Park
  • Knollwood Conservation Park
  • Lake Edge Park
  • Marlborough Park
  • Meadow Ridge Conservation Park
  • Nakoma Park
  • North Star Park
  • Olbrich Botanical Gardens
  • Olbrich Park
  • Owen Conservation Park
  • Portland Park
  • Prairie Ridge Conservation Park
  • Raymond Ridge Park
  • Tenney Park
  • Turville Point Conservation Park 
  • Vilas Park
  • Walnut Grove Park
  • Warner Park
  • Washington Manor Park
  • Whitetail Ridge Park
  • Woodland Hills Park

Engineering Sites

  • Old Sauk Raingarden (8210 Old Sauk Rd)
  • Attic Angel Pond and Greenways (8526 Blackwolf Dr)
  • Spring Harbor Beach Bioretention (5417 Lake Mendota Dr)
  • Indian Hill Park Bioretention (5001 Flambeau Rd)
  • Old Middleton South Pond (6027 Old Middleton Rd)
  • Main Badger Mill Creek Greenway (4102 Maple Grove Dr)
  • UBMC Regional S Basin and Nesbitt Open Space (6601 & 6513 Nesbitt Rd)
  • Emil St Parking Lot Raingarden (1600 Emil St)
  • Atwood Prairie Planting along Capital City Bike Path (202 Corry St)
  • Starkweather-Olbrich Greenway along Capital City Bike Path (3402 Atwood Ave)
  • Starkweather Creek Terrace Planting (Hargrove St to Dawes St)
  • Dixon St Greenway (2977 Milwaukee St)
  • Linda Vista Rd Biobasin (1397 Linda Vista Rd)
  • YMCA Lussier East Pollinator Planting (711 Cottage Grove Rd)
  • Saturn Dr N Pond (6212 Saturn Dr)
  • Saturn Dr S Pond (401 Galileo Dr)
  • Milky Way Bioretention (439 Milky Way)
  • Sycamore Park Pollinator Planting (830 Jana Ln)
  • West Starkweather- USH 151 Greenway (4662 Hayes Rd)
  • Hancock St Raingardens (114 S Hancock St)
  • Capital City Trail at Russell St Raingarden
  • Crazylegs Pavilion Native Planting (Breese Ter at Regent St and Monroe St)
  • Roger Bannerman Raingarden (Sheldon St at Fox Ave along Southwest Commuter Bike Path)
  • Monroe St Plaza (2425 Monroe St)
  • Beltline at Southwest Commuter Bike Path Pond
  • Verona Rd Biobasin (Verona Rd)
  • Waban Hillslope (Chippewa Ct at Council Crest)
  • Waban Hill Roundabout
  • Shady Birch at Sugar Maple Pond (10217 Shady Birch Tr)
  • Sugar Maple Ln Pond (1050 Cherry Blossom Dr)
  • LBMC Midtown-Woods Retention Pond (1951 Woods Rd)
  • Ashworth Dr Pond (2009 Hawks Ridge Dr)
  • Junction Loop Pond (S Junction Rd at Mineral Point Rd)
  • Lower Badger Mill Creek Ponds (1524 Feather Edge Dr)
     
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