Drought

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources was urging residents to be especially careful when burning outdoors due to an elevated fire risk. Recent dry weather, combined with warm, sunny days with low humidity have increased the fire danger. Saucon Source (Hellertown, Pa.), Oct 29, 2024

Steeplechase of Charleston was cancelled due to ongoing drought. The ground is too hard and dry and lacks suitable turf, making conditions very dangerous for jockeys and the horses. WCIV ABC 4 (Mount Pleasant, S.C.), Oct 29, 2024

The Beaumont area has had many water main breaks due to the very dry soil. The number of water leaks was also very high in 2023 during drought. KFDM Channel 6 (Beaumont, Texas), Oct 29, 2024

Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order on Oct. 29 declaring a drought alert in the state. The alert will remain in effect through March 31, 2025. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will activate the Drought Assessment Committee. KFVS12 (Cape Girardeau, Mo.), Oct 29, 2024

The chief of Choctaw Nation issued an executive order for a burn ban in nine southeastern Oklahoma counties and a State of Emergency. The counties affected by the executive order included Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, McCurtain and Pushmataha. County commissioners in all nine counties have issued their own burn bans. Only Pittsburg County in the Choctaw Reservation does not have a burn ban. McAlester News-Capital (0kla.), Oct 28, 2024

October is usually a wet month for Central Texas, but this year it has been very dry. Hay will be needed months earlier than usual for livestock as pastures go dry. KCEN TV (Temple, Texas), Oct 28, 2024

A sheep and lamb producer near Bentonville has drying ponds, drying trees that frequently offer shade for the livestock, and dry pastures earlier than anticipated. The farmer had to begin feeding hay in August rather than November like last year. It costs roughly $50 daily to feed the sheep hay. The early expense led to livestock sales to lower his inventory. Raising the price of the lamb meat is another option if drought persists. Cattle farmers were also opting to sell livestock early rather than feed them hay longer than normal. KFSM-TV CBS 5 Fort Smith (Ark.), Oct 28, 2024

A countywide burn ban was in effect for Chester County for the next month due to historic drought and the rising fire danger. Precipitation has been less than half of normal and parts of the area were enduring what may be their driest October on record, according to the National Weather Service. The burn ban will remain in effect through Monday, Nov. 25. Delaware County has a similar burn ban. West Chester, PA Patch, Oct 28, 2024

More than 900 wildfires have been reported in New Jersey from the start of the year through Oct. 21. Four of the blazes have been “major” in severity, burning more than 100 acres each. Rainfall in the Garden State has been below-average for the past five months, allowing the fire season, which typically begins mid-October, to begin early. NJ.com (Newark, N.J.), Oct 28, 2024

The Army Corps of Engineers reduced the flow of the Kansas River at De Soto from 1,000 cubic feet per second to 750 cfs. At Topeka, the flow was slowed from 750 cfs to 600 cfs. The flow reduction was part of the drought contingency plan for the largest reservoirs in northeast Kansas that connect to the Kansas River. KSNT 27 News (Topeka, Kan.), Oct 28, 2024

The majority of the several hundred New Jersey wildfires that sparked in October continued to burn as drought persisted. Stage 3 fire restrictions, prohibiting all outdoor burning except for those in an elevated stove using certain fuels, were extended. NJ.com (Newark, N.J.), Oct 28, 2024 The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection imposed stage 3 fire restrictions in all counties on Oct. 21. “Stage 3, the highest level of restrictions, means lighting any open fires within or adjacent to wooded areas is not allowed unless they are contained in an elevated stove or barbecue grill using only propane, natural gas or electricity, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.” NJ.com (Newark, N.J.), Oct 22, 2024

Gov. Lamont declared a state of emergency for Connecticut due to drought, increased fire risk and fire activity. Connecticut residents were urged to avoid outdoor burning amid the critical fire weather. WTNH (New Haven, Ct.), Oct 25, 2024

A cranberry farm in the Pine Barrens has not had rain since Aug. 8 and no longer has water flowing from their natural reservoir. The limited water that they have must be carefully conserved for flooding cranberry bogs, frost protection and firefighting. Well water was being used, and the cost of diesel fuel was substantial with the bill for the past month, exceeding the diesel fuel expense for the whole year. WTXF-TV FOX 29 Philadelphia (Pa.), Oct 24, 2024

Delaware was in a drought watch after Gov. John Carney made the announcement on Oct. 25. Delawareans were urged to limit their outdoor water use as the state has not received significant rain in weeks. Residents and non-farm businesses were also asked to voluntarily curb non-essential water use. Fire danger remained a concern.

Fewer customers were visiting a garden center in Little Rock as dry conditions made establishing new plants a challenge. The plants at the garden center also required more irrigation to sustain them between the drought and the heat. Homeowners were also taking more time to water plants to keep them alive and healthy. KARK (Little Rock, Ark.), Oct 24, 2024

Stage 3 drought restrictions took effect in San Marcos at noon on Oct. 27 because the city’s water resources, which includes the Edwards Aquifer, Canyon Lake, Alliance Regional Water Authority, and Canyon Regional Water Authority, were low, requiring immediate and substantial water conservation. Under stage 3 restrictions, water waste is prohibited, and the use of sprinklers or sprinkler systems is permitted once per week. The level of the San Marcos River has fallen to a very concerning level. KXAN (Austin, Texas), Oct 25, 2024

The Tippecanoe County Board of Commissioners declared an emergency ban on open fires, campfires and other recreational fires and anything using conventional fuel like wood. Prolonged drought led to the emergency ban, which is scheduled to end on Oct. 31, but could be extended. Purdue Exponent (West Lafayette, Ind.), Oct 25, 2024

Berkshire County residents were warned to be cautious when using fire outside due to the dry conditions as the area was in a mild drought. The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Mass.), Oct 20, 2024

Nearly 400 birds moved through the Freezout Lake area on Oct. 24, the highest number in a single day so far this fall migration, but still far below the thousands that are usually coming through at this time of year. "Due to ongoing drought related impacts, low water levels are also present across the WMA. Low water levels will also likely influence bird presence and distribution and subsequently, hunter harvest success," according to bird counters. NBC Montana (Missoula), Oct 25, 2024

The Alabama Forestry Commission has issued a Fire Danger Advisory for 22 counties in the west-central and southwest parts of the state effective immediately. The fire danger was rising, and blazes were becoming more difficult to control. The AFC was not issuing a burn restriction, but strongly discouraged any outdoor burning until conditions ease. “Dead pine trees from last year’s drought and the resulting southern pine beetle outbreak this year are contributing to fire intensity, which challenges containment efforts and presents additional hazards to firefighters,” said an AFC fire analyst. WPMI-TV NBC 15 (Mobile, Ala.), Oct 24, 2024