U.S. Forest Service - Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

08/28/2026

Time to collect them all. 🌲

The National Forests and Grasslands Passport is a free way to turn every visit to a National Forest or Grassland into something you can keep in three easy steps:

🗺️ Join the passport at https://ow.ly/9yLT50ZCIgF
✅ Check in on your next visit to a National Forest or Grassland
🏞️ Earn a unique, collectible badge

All 154 National Forests. All 20 National Grasslands. One passport to hold it all. Already visited a few? Add them to your passport today and start your collection now!

Your journey starts now. Which forest or grassland will you visit first?

U.S. Forest Service

08/26/2026

Flags will fly at half-staff for one week in honor of Dolly Parton, by order of the president.

"I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life. I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain.... These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world." ~ Dolly Parton

08/25/2026

Yesterday, 174 new fires were reported nationwide, including 12 new large fires. Firefighters are currently working to contain 86 large fires, with 22,085 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide.

Extreme fire behavior is reported in multiple geographic areas. While the Northwest continues to see the most extensive fire activity, six new large incidents were reported in the Southern Geographic Area yesterday, highlighting the way that regional fire activity can shift and is often tied to weather events. Interested in seeing what the experts predict for the next seven days? View significant fire potential outlooks here https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive-services/outlooks.

(Forest Service photo by Andrew Avitt.)

08/24/2026

Unlike most other migrating animals, the super monarchs will never complete the return trip. They begin the journey north but typically only travel as far as the southern United States before mating and laying the eggs that will become the next generation, the first in the new year’s cycle.

08/24/2026

08/21/2026

08/18/2026

Midewin NTP's fire management team consists of:

a Forest Fire Management Officer (FFMO),
a Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer (FAFMO),
a Fuels Specialist,
an Interagency Hotshot Crew,
a Type 3 Helicopter crew, and
a Type 6 Engine crew.

They will spend significant time away from the prairie each year assisting with the wildland firefighting effort all over the country.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/midewin/fire

Morning briefings are the heartbeat of fire camp.

Crews gather to review the day’s plan, discuss weather and safety, and make sure every team is coordinated before heading to the fireline.

These moments set the tone for a focused, safe and effective day of work.

We appreciate every firefighter on the ground and thank them for their dedication to safety and service.

(Forest Service photo by Andrew Avitt)

08/17/2026

The Forest Service can mobilize more than 400 aircraft—airtankers, helicopters and water-scoopers—including 29 large and very large airtankers ready to respond nationwide.

They support missions for the Forest Service, the Department of the Interior and the states.

(Forest Service photo.)