Illinois quick hits: Japan trade mission continues; crews respond to field fire

Japan trade mission continues

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and business leaders from Illinois are continuing with their Gubernatorial Trade Mission in Japan.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said they are learning about the Japanese economy, details about the new prime minister, and the significance of the U.S.-Japanese alliance.

Crews respond to field fire

Parts of Illinois have been under an elevated fire risk due to a drop in humidity and windy conditions. Several fire departments around the state have urged residents not to burn, and warned farmers to be extra careful during harvest with the potential risk for field fires.

Gibson City firefighters responded to a field fire that quickly got out of control Sunday afternoon. A cigarette thrown from a vehicle window may be the cause of a fire that burned several acres of corn in Iroquois County.

Promoting smoke alarms

This is Fire Prevention Week in Illinois and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is promoting this year’s campaign by reminding the public about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.

In October 2019, DCFS launched a statewide program to provide free smoke alarms to families served by the department. To date, DCFS has distributed 6,135 smoke alarms to families across Illinois, including over 1,300 this year, an increase of over 470 from the same time last year.