The Racine County Parks department announced, on Facebook, the temporary closure of the swimming area at Fischer Park, commonly known as Browns Lake. The department has closed the swimming portion of the park due to the possible presence of blue-green algae. The park is located at 30327 Durand Ave., Fischer Park, in Burlington.

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According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), “blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, are a group of photosynthetic bacteria that many people refer to as ‘pond scum.’ Blue-green algae are most often blue-green in color, but can also be blue, green, reddish-purple, or brown.”

The Wisconsin Department of Health (DHS) reports that blue-green algae can cause health concerns to arise. The bacteria can cause trouble for both humans and pets.

Some common symptoms to watch for:

While it is not certain, at this time, to be cautious and to avoid possible illness, do not enter the swimming area at Browns Lake. The rest of Fischer Park is open to exploring, additionally, the boat launch is still open.

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