Anita Stewart, of Portland, spreads mulch on her plot at the North Street Community Garden on Saturday. Stewart, who has been gardening at the site for 10 years, acknowledged the area was in a drought but said the situation could be worse. “The grass is still green, so it’s not as bad as other years,” she said. Ben McCanna/Photographer

Maine has experienced a dry fall thus far and parts of the state are expected to remain in moderate drought conditions through November.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded 3.61 inches of precipitation in the Portland area from September to October this year, which is 5.41 inches below normal.

About 74% of Maine was abnormally dry or in moderate drought at the end of October – according to NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System – and much of New England is experiencing similar conditions.

Dry weather has led to more wildfires late in the typical fire season across the region.

Eastern Maine is experiencing moderate drought, including Washington and Hancock counties and eastern parts of Aroostook, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Waldo, Knox and Lincoln counties, according to the American Drought Monitor.

Most of the rest of the state was classified as abnormally dry for this time of year. Parts of the southern tip of York County are also experiencing moderate or severe drought.

This is the 12th driest September-October period on record in Portland, said Derek Schroeter, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Gray. Portland saw just 10 days of precipitation during that span, the second-fewest rainy day recorded in a two-month period.

Dry conditions are expected to continue through November, with NOAA projecting below-normal precipitation for the entire state through November 11. Eastern Maine is expected to continue to experience drought throughout the month.

“This indicates that there will be little relief from the current dry conditions,” Schroeter said.

As of Friday, all of southern New England was under an NWS Red Flag Warning, a type of warning for heightened fire weather concerns.

In Massachusetts, increased drought conditions have led to a 1200% peak in wildfires in October, the state Department of Fire Services said Friday.

Lack of precipitation, combined with gusty winds and an abundance of falling dry leaves could also create the conditions for wildfires in Maine. Much of southern and coastal Maine was at high fire risk over the weekend, and the rest of the state was at moderate risk, according to the Maine Forest Service Wildfire Hazard Report.

“It’s a pretty unusual fall, to have this kind of fire activity in late October, early November,” said Kent Nelson, a ranger specialist with the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Maine.

Nelson estimates that rangers have responded to about 60 or 70 wildfires in recent weeks, more than usual for this time of year.

Maine experiences an average of 650 wildfires that burn about 550 acres per year, according to the Forest Service. There have only been about 400 wildfires so far this year, but that number could increase as drought conditions continue, Nelson said.

“Ninety-five percent of our fires are human caused, which means that, in one way or another, they are preventable,” Nelson said.

For example, by being careful when doing gardening work. Lawn mowers and tractors can start fires if they hit rocks or other debris, Nelson said, and dry grass and leaves are like kindling for wildfires.

“Use the right machine for the right job,” Nelson said. “A lawn mower is not intended to be used for mowing brush in the woods, that’s what a brush cutter is for.”

If you’re camping, Nelson recommends double- or triple-checking that campfires are out before leaving an area to make sure the fire doesn’t spread.

“You have to put water on it three or four times, stir the coals and wait a few minutes,” Nelson said.

The Forest Service recommends clearing dead vegetation 30 feet from homes and camps — but always be sure to get a permit before burning, Nelson said. Permits are available for free online but are only valid when the level of daily fire risk is low or moderate.

Copy story link