September and October have been particularly dry in New Hampshire and fire danger in the southern part of the state is high.
Steve Sherman, chief of the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau, said it is not uncommon for New Hampshire to have fires in the fall, but this year’s fire season has been busier than usual. Drought conditions in some parts of the state, especially on the Seacoast, have bumped up fire danger.
“We're going these longer periods without rain so that allows those newly fallen leaves to dry out and has been contributing to the fire danger that we've seen.”
Both September and October brought below-average precipitation to New Hampshire, according to the National Weather Service. There were only 11 days with measurable rain in Concord during those two months – making this the September and October with the fifth least number of rainy days in Concord’s 157-year record.
Sherman says the danger will remain high until the state receives consistent rainfall. Some rain expected on Friday could ease danger, he said, but windy conditions expected Wednesday could increase threats.
As hunting season begins, Sherman says people spending time in the woods should remember to be careful with any fires they do have, making sure they are completely extinguished.
“That’s stirring it up, having water to mix into it, and making sure it’s out cold before they leave it,” Sherman said.
Fire permits and landowner permission are required for any fires, he said. People using wood stoves for heating as the nights get colder should also remember to be careful with their wood ash.
“The conditions are still really dry,” Sherman said. “People think that they might be able to just get rid of their wood stove ash the same way they do in the winter, but they need to make sure they're putting it in a metal container and letting it really get cold before they dump it anywhere.”
Residents can find more information on fire danger in New Hampshire on the NH Forest Rangers X account, or by calling 1-866-NH-FIRES (866-643-4737).
