Drought

New York State Forest Rangers and local fire departments responded to eight wildfires in five counties across New York State which burned more than 21 acres. New York Almanack (Utica, N.Y.), April 30, 2025

Some of Austin’s swimming holes have flowing water, while others need steady rainfall to increase the volume of water. Barton Creek Greenbelt, for instance, has not had substantial stream flow since 2020. Community Impact (Austin, Texas), April 30, 2025

All open burning and fireworks have been suspended in Keene due to persistent drought, forecasted winds and fire danger at critical levels. Some nearby communities like Hinsdale, Richmond, Roxbury, Stoddard and Winchester have also adopted similar burn bans as drought conditions have lingered since last fall, leaving the ground and vegetation exceedingly dry. A major brush fire that broke out in Winchester on Tuesday, April 29, quickly blew into a four-alarm emergency and was fought by almost 100 firefighters from more than 25 regional agencies. The blaze has charred more than 40 acres. My Keene Now (N.H.), April 30, 2025

Authorities in Franklin County have asked the public to conserve as much water as possible because the water supply was low. A notice was posted on Facebook on Tuesday, April 29, requesting that water customers conserve water until June 1 by forgoing lawn watering, pool filling, vehicle washing and other unnecessary uses. Franklin County’s wells were not keeping up with demand. WLHR 92.1 (Lavonia, Ga.), April 30, 2025 Due to Franklin County’s water supply issues, the county manager put forth the suggestion of a moratorium on selling water to new customers. Two of the county’s four wells were out of service, and the City of Toccoa has cut the amount of water that it was willing to sell the county. 92.1 WLHR (Lavonia, Ga.), May 1, 2025

Stage 1 fire restrictions began in the Santa Fe National Forest on May 4 due to the elevated fire risk. The restrictions will remain in effect through September 30. Under stage 1 fire restrictions, it was prohibited to build, maintain, use a fire, including charcoal and briquettes outside of a designated fire ring or grill provided by the Forest Service in a developed recreational area. New Mexico Fire Information (Santa Fe), April 29, 2025

Flower and plant sales were slower than usual at a nursery and garden center in Midland, according to the owner. People were reluctant to plant much while dry conditions persisted. Plants at the garden center also needed more watering than usual. One positive point to the dry weather was that people were purchasing more outdoor furniture. WNEM-TV CBS 5 Saginaw (Mich.), April 29, 2025

Douglas water users were alerted to the potential for water restrictions due to the current drought conditions. Area snowpack was below average, and the forecast for rain was not optimistic. The city’s groundwater resources rely on winter snowmelt and spring rain to replenish groundwater supplies. The City of Douglas Parks Department was aiming for a 30% reduction in irrigation for the city parks. The city was striving to acquire more water rights and bolster the water supply for the City of Douglas. Douglas Budget (Wyo.), April 29, 2025

An Iron County ranch ran low on water and eventually had dry ponds. Cattle had to be moved to high elevation summer pastures one month early as grazing ran short, and plenty of neighbors were doing the same. Hopefully, the summer pastures will have adequate feed and water for the cattle, but livestock may need to be removed from the summer pastures early and fed hay. Spring streamflows in southwest Utah were expected to be less than 30% of average. Kane County producers were also hauling water and selling older cows because there wasn’t enough grass, according to an agricultural agent with Utah State University. Farmers were opting to be very frugal with water. KUER-FM 90.1 (Salt Lake City, Utah), April 28, 2025

Easton has a burn ban in effect until further notice due to drought. WFMZ 69 News Online (Allentown, Pa.), April 29, 2025

Strong winds swept up dust from the Southwest and transported it, with the dust coming down mixed with the rain from Michigan to Maine, resulting in dirty rain. WGME FOX 23 (Portland, Maine), April 22, 2025

All boat ramps on Lake Travis, except a public one, were closed due to the low water level as the lake was about 43% full, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. Boaters were cautioned to beware of submerged objects like trees and rocks. The region was in a stage 2 drought response as the combined storage of both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan were at 48%. Community Impact (Austin, Texas), April 24, 2025

The taste and smell of tap water in Victoria has changed as the city drew more water from city reservoirs and less from the Guadalupe River. The water treatment process was being adjusted to deal with the concerns about taste and odor. Crossroads Today (Victoria, Texas), April 28, 2025

Kerrville remained in Stage 3 water restrictions as the Guadalupe River was flowing at just 22 cubic feet per second (cfs), compared to the normal of 90 cfs for this time of year. The region has been in drought for three straight years, allowing the dryness to intensify. The public was urged not to replant grass or replace any vegetation this year to conserve water. Spectrum News 1 - Austin (Texas), April 17, 2025

SandFest, an event where participants use beach sand to create impressive sculptures, will be taking place in Port Aransas the last weekend in April. Due to water restrictions, an alternate water source, pond water from a private well, will be used rather than city water. KIII TV (Corpus Christi, Texas), April 23, 2025

A burn ban was in effect at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, as well as the rest of Orange County, due to drought, above normal temperatures and gusty winds. Open flames were prohibited. Inside the Magic (Orlando, Fla.), April 22, 2025

The Jones Road Wildfire began in Ocean County on Tuesday, April 22. The blaze quickly engulfed 12,000 acres, caused the Garden State Parkway to be closed when the fire jumped the roadway, and led to the evacuation of 5,000 people. Drought, strong winds and warm weather contributed to the fire. ABC News, April 23, 2025

The East Brunswick Office of Emergency Management declared a drought in the township on Wednesday, April 23. Many water supplies for the community remained below normal levels. The aim of a drought warning was to conserve and safeguard available water supplies in an effort to prevent a more serious water shortage in the future. East Brunswick, NJ Patch, April 23, 2025

A diminished wildflower bloom across Texas, including the Hill Country, has resulted from ongoing drought conditions. A couple of local photographers who typically do bluebonnet photo sessions have had to cancel those plans and were hoping for improved rainfall in coming months to encourage the plants to grow and bloom. The University Star (San Marcos, Texas), April 22, 2025

New Jersey firefighters have been busy since the start of the year as there have been 662 wildfires that blackened 16,572 acres. At this time in 2024, there had been 310 fires that charred 315 acres. ABC News, April 23, 2025 New Jersey’s wildfire season got off to an early start, although it typically begins in March. Already, 215 wildfires have burned 514 acres, compared to 69 wildfires that charred 22 acres by this time in 2024. The Philadelphia Inquirer (Pa.), March 4, 2025

The presence of drought during Minnesota’s fire season has increased the fire danger. Minnesota’s DNR wildfire safety specialist warned the public to be alert and cautious with anything that can cause a spark. Northern News Now (Duluth, Minn.), April 18, 2025