Drought

A burn ban was in effect for Clay County through September 28 due to drought. Campfires, bonfires, fire pits, fire rings, and all open flames were prohibited. Some other counties with burn bans included Winston, Noxubee, Montgomery, Carroll, Franklin, and Adams. WTVA (Tupelo, Miss.), Aug 26, 2024

Ballinger Municipal Lake was closed to recreation as the water level became very low. If the lake level continues to drop, a stage four water crisis will be declared. KIDY-TV (San Angelo, Texas), Aug 26, 2024

Yellow jackets have been more noticeable this summer in West Virginia largely due to drought conditions in the region. The hot, dry weather parched the soil, leaving yellow jackets seeking water near creeks, gardens, and areas with sprinkler systems. WCHS-TV (Charleston, W.V.), Aug 26, 2024

The removal of drought-damaged trees along Natchez Parkway began on Monday, August 26 around the towns of Clinton, Ridgeland and Madison. Prolonged drought allowed pine beetles to infest and kill many trees in 2023. The trees, many of which were loblolly pines, were being felled and allowed to decompose and provide habitat for wildlife. The tree removal was expected to be completed by the end of September. WJTV TV 12 (Jackson, Miss.), Aug 26, 2024

“Groundwater’s really low, wells are low, springs are running really slow to sometimes even drying out, completely. So it’s harder to get water, it’s harder to get the grass to grow, to feed animals if you have livestock. And we are seeing farms that are selling off cows just because they don’t have the resources to maintain them,” according to a Belmont County agricultural and natural resources educator. WTRF (Wheeling, W.V.), Aug 26, 2024

The wildfire danger has increased in the southern part of Arkansas with 16 counties in a high danger category as of Monday, Aug. 26. Three counties—Dallas, Ouachita and Sevier—have burn bans prohibiting outdoor burning. Arkadelphian.com (Ark.), Aug 26, 2024 Four counties in the southern half of Arkansas had burn bans in effect due to the moderate wildfire danger. The four counties were Sevier, Howard, Montgomery and Dallas. Arkadelphian.com (Ark.), Aug 16, 2024

Drought is harming the trees and creating fuel for potential wildfires. Epidemic levels of southern pine beetles were infesting state forests. “The drought that we are currently experiencing is causing a lot of insect and disease problems in the forest,” according to an Alabama Forestry Commission employee. “They are causing large areas of pines to die. When those pines die and dry out, they become more fuel for wildfires.” WAFF TV (Huntsville, Ala.), Aug 22, 2024 The Alabama Forestry Commission has found nearly 5,000 southern pine beetle spots across the state, with more sites emerging as the summer progresses. The beetles kill an average of 191 trees per site. Because timber is important to Alabama’s economy, the beetles pose a significant threat. The worst infestations were in and around Bankhead National Forest and the Oakmulgee District of the Talladega National Forest. WAFF TV (Huntsville, Ala.), Aug 22, 2024

Drought was hard on the newly planted trees at a Christmas tree farm in Pettyville. The owner said that they would be lucky if 25% of the trees survived, although roughly 80% survive in a normal year. WTAP (Parkersburg, W.V.), Aug 22, 2024

Ellis County authorities issued a 90-day burn ban to prevent wildfires and protect scarce resources. The ban took effect on Aug. 20. Hoodline Dallas (Texas), Aug 22, 2024

Wichita’s stage 2 water restrictions began on Aug. 5. Outdoor watering may be done just once weekly. Since late July, the reduction in water use has been 34%. The city has issued 165 warnings but no fines. KFDI-FM 101.3 Wichita (Kan.), Aug 22, 2024

Heat and drought have slowed grass growth in Vienna, leaving some lawns needing to be mowed every other week or even less frequently. WTAP (Parkersburg, W.V.), Aug 21, 2024

Drought in the Big Country was causing the soil to contract and shift, cracking some water lines in Trent in Taylor County. KTXS-TV 12 Abilene (Texas), Aug 21, 2024

Fall foliage in western Pennsylvania was expected to be less vibrant this fall after an extremely hot, dry summer. Some trees in Gilpin, Leechburg and Lower Burrell have already turned color and dropped their leaves. TribLive (Tarentum, Pa.), Aug 22, 2024

Cotton growers in the Lone Star state expect better yields and quality than in the past two dry years. Cotton fields in the Rio Grande Valley were drier than those of the Coastal Bend. Cotton acreage in the Rio Grande Valley was down quite a bit due to an extremely limited supply of irrigation water this year. The dryland fields looked poor in June, and many fields were too far gone to benefit from the rain of Hurricane Beryl in July. The irrigated cotton in Central Texas did not get enough water because fall rains failed to recharge groundwater, and the area ran out of water in July. Blooms and early bolls in the Panhandle were dropping in water-limited fields. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), Aug 20, 2024

The Brownsville Public Utilities Board is offering free water conservation kits for customers. The city was under Stage 2 drought restrictions due to extremely low water levels at Falcon and Amistad reservoirs. My RGV News (McAllen, Texas), Aug 21, 2024

The Henderson County Fire Department has warned of heightened wildfire risks in West Tennessee and shared a video of a fire in Decatur County that occurred on Aug. 20. Officials asked people to be mindful of the dry conditions before burning. 39 News (Jackson, Tenn.), Aug 21, 2024

On August 20, outdoor burning was banned in unincorporated Tarrant County without the approval of the Tarrant County Fire Marshal’s Office for the next 90 days. Culturemap Fort Worth (Texas), Aug 20, 2024

A pumpkin grower in Circleville stated that the summer has been dry, so he did not have a water reserve for his crops. He was working hard to keep his pumpkins watered. Watering was also an added expense for producing pumpkins for fall, which is their most profitable time of year. Spectrum News 1 (Columbus, Ohio), Aug 20, 2024

The Travis County Fire Marshal's Office issued a burn ban for unincorporated areas of Travis County for the next 14 days. The wildfire risk will be high with intense heat and low humidity. Outdoor barbecuing and grilling were discouraged. KVUE News Online (Austin, Texas), Aug 20, 2024

Morris County’s burn ban will be in place for seven days. KLTV-TV ABC 7 (Tyler, Texas), Aug 20, 2024