Chief Christopher Maguy and the Dighton Fire Department would like to inform residents that a Level 3 – Critical Drought status is now in place for the Town of Dighton.
Due to five months of below normal rainfall, Energy and Environmental Affairs(EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought in the southeast region of the Commonwealth.
The drought declaration will remain in effect until water levels return to normal in the southeast region of Massachusetts.
With these continued drought-like conditions throughout the state, the Dighton Fire Department is encouraging residents to remain diligent in their efforts to prevent a wildland fire.
“I would like to remind the entire community to continue to remain vigilant in order to prevent wildfires from occurring,” Chief Maguy said. “This critical drought condition adds significant challenges for our firefighters and increases the risk to our firefighters’ safety. Anyone who spots any wildfires should contact the Dighton Fire Department immediately.”
Increased Fire Risk
Drought conditions result in dry grass, shrubs and forest areas, as well as dry soil conditions, increasing the wildland fire risk across the state. Fires that burn among these conditions can take multiple days to extinguish and exhaust local resources.
Therefore, state fire officials also remind the public to be careful with the disposal of combustible materials.
For more information on fire prevention tips as it relates to drought conditions, visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) website here.
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