Drought

Months of very little rain on Long Island have contributed to brush fires and a record-breaking water demand throughout the region.

Connecticut firefighters were monitoring around 50 brush fires across the state as of Monday afternoon. Gov. Ned Lamont said the state is experiencing its worst drought on record, making it extremely susceptible to fires.

Homes in the Hamptons account for all but one of Suffolk County’s top 15 water users. Each used close to 5 million gallons of water last year.

After a severe drought last summer put a strain on the water system, the Suffolk County Water Authority has placed new restrictions on residents’ water use.

Connecticut farmers can now apply for financial assistance to offset the cost of production losses from New England’s continued drought conditions.

The Suffolk County Water Authority has lifted a Stage 1 Water Emergency that was declared over the summer due to severe drought conditions.

Suffolk water authorities extend Stage 1 Water Emergency to over a million customers.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack has designated New London and Windham counties in Connecticut as natural disaster areas due to the ongoing drought conditions.

The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows the majority of the state is in a “severe” drought, while conditions in the easternmost parts of the state have escalated to “extreme."

Eight-eight percent of Suffolk County is abnormally dry therefore becoming one of 21 counties on drought watch, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.