Drought and wildfires
Drought conditions in New Hampshire persist despite this winter’s snow and the most recent rain, according to an April 20 press release from the New Hampshire Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.
“Dating back to when measurements were first recorded in 1895, January-March 2026 was the sixth driest first quarter for precipitation on record in the state,” the release said. “The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that 78 percent of the state is currently experiencing moderate to severe drought, and drought.gov, the National Integrated Drought Information System, notes that 725,800 Granite Staters — approximately half of the state’s residents — live in areas of elevated drought conditions,” the release said. The drought conditions also mean that there is an elevated wildfire risk, the release said. According to the map at drought.gov, 96 percent of Hillsborough County is “abnormally dry” with a little over 3 percent considered to be in “moderate drought.” Merrimack County has areas that are “abnormally dry” as well as 30 percent of its area listed as in “moderate drought” and nearly 59 percent of the county listed as in “severe drought,” the website said. In Rockingham County, 32 percent of the county is “abnormally dry” with 57 percent experiencing “moderate drought” and 10 percent in “severe drought,” the website said.
“Last year, New Hampshire experienced a 27.6 percent increase in the number of wildfires and a 16.8 percent increase in the number of acres burned due to wildfires,” said Chief Steven Sherman of the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau, in the press release.
The state Forest Protection Bureau declared April 19 through April 25 Wildfire Awareness Week; information on wildlife prevention is available at nhdfl.dncr.nh.gov/forest-protection/wildfire-prevention, the release said.
“Spring is outdoor clean-up season for lots of us in New Hampshire and doing things like removing leaves and pine needles from roofs and gutters, making sure shrubs, woodpiles and other fuels are kept away from buildings, and — of course — always getting a fire permit before any outdoor burning, all go a long way to making sure wildfires don’t start and, if they do, that they’re more easily contained,” said N.H. Forest Ranger Katharine Baughman in the statement. According to the release, “[u]nder state law, anyone wishing to have an outdoor fire in New Hampshire, unless there is snow on the ground, must obtain a state fire permit in advance from the local fire department; they may also be obtained online at nhfirepermit.com. Permits are issued only on days when Daily Fire Danger conditions indicate that it is safe to burn.” More than 80 percent of the state is forested, the release said.
Air update
Head to lung.org/sota for the American Lung Association in New Hampshire’s “State of the Air” report, which was slated to be released just after midnight on Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day), according to a press release. The report “tracks exposure to unhealthy ozone and particle pollution. The report serves as a ‘report card,’ ranking air quality in metro areas and grading counties across the state. Additionally, the report ranks the most polluted and cleanest cities across the country,” the press release said. This year’s report will also include a special focus on children and the risks they face from air pollution, the release said.
State guide
Queerlective, a group that describes itself as working to “bolster diversity in the creative community of New Hampshire,” will release its State of Queer NH Resource Book at a release party on Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m., according to a post on the group’s Facebook page. The book is “a community-built guide highlighting queer- and BIPOC-affirming resources, artists, stories, and organizations from across New Hampshire. This release party is a chance to celebrate the work, the people behind it, and the communities that made this project possible,” the post said. See the Facebook page for the link to RSVP. The release will take place during the “Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle” spring market, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., also at the YWCA, 72 Concord St. in Manchester. See queerlective.com.
More eggs
Two new eggs have joined the peregrine falcon nest at Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester for a total of five eggs this year, according to the cams and daily log viewable via nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam. According to the daily log on the YouTube page for Feed 1 (there are three feeds, each offering a different angle on the nest), the fourth egg arrived on April 14 and the fifth was laid on April 16. The cam offers livestreaming video of the nest via NH Audubon and the support of Peregrine Networks and Brady Sullivan Properties, according to the website. Last year the nest produced five eggs, of which three hatched.
Kimball Jenkins and Pope Memorial SPCA are holding a “Paint Your Pet” Workshop at Banks Humane Education Center in Concord on Monday, May 18, and Tuesday, May 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., with proceeds to benefit Pope Memorial SPCA, according to a Kimball Jenkins Facebook post. No painting experience needed and all the supplies will be included; see tinyurl.com/kjxpmspca for details and to register in advance.
Auburn Parks and Recreation will hold its town-wide yard sale on Saturday, May 9, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. Those wishing to sell stuff can register by April 30 at auburnparksandrec.com.
Manchester Central High School’s literary and arts magazine The Oracle is hosting a coffeehouse poetry slam together with Tri-M, the school’s music honors society, on Thursday, April 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. in CHS’s Classical Hall (535 Beech St.), according to a post by Talia Harmon on Manchester InkLink. Tickets are $5.
The Hollis Arts Society will present the class “Painting on Silk with Anne Wifholm” on Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 100 W. Pearl St. in Nashua. The cost for the class is $60. See hollisartssocietynh.com.