""Warmer summers mean dryer environmental conditions in our parks, forests and communities. As several regions experience significant drought conditions, we must be mindful of these additional factors," said Tepper in a statement. "We urge the public to remain vigilant during this time and adhere to local water restrictions and practice water conservation.""
""Meteorologists at the National Weather Service's Boston office have been monitoring the low precipitation levels as well, making Wednesday's announcement "not a surprise at all," meteorologist Candice Hrencecin said. Late last year, firefighters were injured and smoke billowed over Massachusetts as wildfires sprung up throughout the state. The North Shore was particularly hard hit, and multiple communities declared states of emergency. Notable drought conditions preceded those fires. "I'm a little concerned personally about seeing another active fire season this fall with how dry it's been," Hrencecin told Boston.com. "Hopefully we get some more precipitation but I'm not holding my breath, really. I'm a little nervous about that.""
State officials elevated drought conditions across much of Massachusetts, with western Massachusetts, the Connecticut River Valley, central and northeast regions, and Nantucket moving to level two, and the southeast entering level one. The state uses a zero-to-four drought scale to gauge severity. Spring and early summer precipitation was adequate, but August proved very dry, leaving many areas one to two inches below normal. Meteorologists noted the low precipitation and called the announcement unsurprising. Officials urged water conservation and compliance with local restrictions while expressing concern about a potentially active fall fire season.
Read at Boston.com
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