BOSTON (AP) — Large parts of Northeast now face extreme drought conditions, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday.

New Hampshire is almost entirely classified as experiencing severe drought by the monitor, which is a collaboration between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than 80% of Massachusetts and Maine are experiencing severe drought and more than 50% of Connecticut is suffering through dry conditions.

Parts of Northeast Connecticut, far northern Maine and southern parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts are now classified as contending with extreme drought, which is a higher classification and the service’s second highest category, the drought monitor reported on Thursday.

Vermont’s drought conditions haven’t been as severe, but almost all of the state is at least abnormally dry, the monitor reported. The areas in northeastern Vermont that are now classified as severe drought jumped from just over 10% a week ago to nearly 30%.

The dry conditions across the Northeast have resulted in water restrictions, bans on outdoor burns, damage to crops, a spike in forest fires, fish kills and dry fields for farmers.

–Associated Press

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