Restoring Mississauga’s ecosystems: Controlled burns at Jack Darling Memorial Park and Lorne Park Prairie

The City of Mississauga is planning a controlled burn at Jack Darling Memorial Park and Lorne Park Prairie. The exact date is weather dependent and will be confirmed 24 to 48 hours prior to the burn.

The City has contracted trained professionals from Wildfire Specialists Inc. to conduct the burn and has developed a detailed burn plan to ensure safety of staff, contractors and residents in neighbouring properties. Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services along with other City staff will be on site throughout the burn.

What

A safe and controlled burn to help maintain the tallgrass prairie at two Mississauga parks.

Where

Jack Darling Memorial Park

1180 Lakeshore Rd. W.,
Mississauga, ON

Lorne Park Prairie

1070 Queen St. W.,
Mississauga, ON

When

Anytime until beginning of May, weather dependent.

Who

• Parks, Forestry and Environment staff
• Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services staff
• Wildfire Specialists Inc.

Safety and important information for neighbourhood-area residents

For nearby residents or visitors, controlled burns are nothing to worry about – in fact, they are safe and essential. The process helps maintain the parks’ tallgrass prairies, an ecosystem that is home to rare grasses and wildflowers. Controlled burns are needed every three to four years to help regenerate tallgrass prairies and remove invasive plants. Prairie grasses are dormant at this time of the year, so there is no threat to prairie plants and wildlife.

Park closures

For safety reasons, the parks (including the leash-free area) will be closed to the public before and during the scheduled burn. They will reopen once clean-up is complete. Closure signage will be posted 24 hours in advance and neighbourhood residents will be notified.

Safety tips

To help keep the area safe during the controlled burn, residents are asked to:

• Avoid the area surrounding the parks.
• Keep windows closed and consider staying indoors if living nearby.
• Adhere to temporary signage in the area.
• The burn should be between 10:30-5:30 p.m. Smoke may appear between 11-2:30 p.m.
• Report any fires outside of the controlled burn area to 911.

For more information about the controlled burn, please contact 311. To learn more about controlled burns and for updates, visit mississauga.ca/prairie-watch or follow Parks, Forestry and Environment on X, Facebook or Instagram.

Tags

• Fire and Emergency Services
• Parks and Forestry