State officials said both the Vineyard and Nantucket are under a significant drought due to low rainfall and groundwater levels.
State officials said both the Vineyard and Nantucket are under a significant drought due to low rainfall and groundwater levels.
The recent heatwave has dominated headlines, but for Islanders ranging from farmers to firefighters, the lack of rain is the larger concern. Water security on Island has yet to be threatened by ongoing drought conditions, but safety officials are on full alert and other industries have begun to feel the heat.
A statewide drought that has affected Martha’s Vineyard since last summer was declared at an end this month by the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force.
After two brush fires scorched acres of land in Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury this week, state and local fire officials are on particularly high alert.
In one of the hottest, driest summers in recent memory, critical drought conditions were declared late Thursday for all seven regions in the state, including Martha’s Vineyard.
Following three straight months of little rain, Martha’s Vineyard remains under moderate to severe drought conditions along with most of the rest of the commonwealth.
