Drought Conditions and Low Water Supply Raise Fire Concerns in Rhode Island

Fire officials in Rhode Island say water sources that continue to dry up amid ongoing drought conditions in southern New England are raising safety concerns.

Tiverton fire Capt. Bruce Reimels tells WLNE-TV the town has just four dry hydrants and only one is viable.

Reimels says the department’s largest water source – the Nonquit Pond – is a roughly 400-million-gallon pond but was down to just under 300 million as of two weeks ago.

He says recent fires have been in the northern part of Tiverton, where water has been easy to come by. But the department receives 10 to 12 calls a day.

Other towns and cities facing similar problems have implemented bans on recreational and brush burning.

Information from: WLNE-TV