A series of wildfires are spreading across the Northeast due to unusual drought conditions that have persisted for weeks. These weather conditions, combined with higher-than-average temperatures, have created a large amount of dry undergrowth that help fuel the spread and intensity of wildfires. In the Western U.S., wildfires are also burning in multiple states, including California and Oregon.
Firefighters in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire have been responding to large and small fires over the past week, straining resources. This spate of wildfires has the potential to threaten regional water availability, as seen in New York where a fire is affecting the Catskill Water Supply System, which consists of 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. The Rondout and Ashokan reservoirs are within the area of the fire, potentially impacting the water supply for New York City residents. Yesterday, New Jersey’s governor issued a drought warning and said the state could implement mandatory water restrictions if conditions worsen.
In California, wildfires have already burned more than three times the land area compared to this time last year, when the fire season was relatively mild, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Fire Weather and Avalanche Center is tracking hundreds of active fires across the U.S.
Members are encouraged to review their wildfire response plans, as new weather patterns and intensities continue to emerge in the wake of global warming. While the current state of drought for the Northeast is unusual, if it becomes a seasonal pattern, utilities could face a similar threat environment as utilities on the West Coast. Read more at AP, at Pix11, at CNN, or at the National Interagency Fire Center.
Amid increasing wildfire activity, water and wastewater utilities are encouraged to start preparing now for any potential impacts. Wildfires present a direct risk to property and water and wastewater infrastructure assets, in addition to potential degradation of the water supply, according to EPA. To help utilities enhance their resilience, EPA and CISA have created multiple free resources and online tools:
- EPA – Incident Action Checklist – Wildfire - Provides information on preparedness and response actions water utilities can take in a wildfire incident.
- EPA – Wildfire Conditions and Risk Map for Utilities - Provides information on current, past, and potential future wildfire conditions in the U.S. for utilities to assess the potential for wildfire near their facilities or within their watersheds.
- CISA – Wildfires - includes additional links to other fire preparedness resources.
