Heat and lack of rain have fire departments anxious

LACONIA — The lack of rainfall during the past month is making local fire officials anxious.

While the fire danger has not risen to the point that would prompt a ban on outside burning, the lack of rainfall means the soil is parched and some vegetation is tinder-dry.

Six area fire departments and a state agency were called in on Saturday to fight an outside fire which burned 1 to 1½ acres along the Winnipesaukee River.

"Conditions are extremely dry, and it does not take much for a fire to spread in these conditions," said Tilton-Northfield Firefighter James Frangelli.

The fire was spotted at about 6:40 a.m.in the area of 478 West Main St. But it took the first firefighters on the scene about 30 minutes before they actually found where the fire was, behind 505 West Main St. It then took Tilton-Northfield personnel another hour to get adequate personnel to the scene and establish a water supply.

Once the first crews got to the scene they requested a first alarm for additional firefighters and equipment. Firefighters worked in hot, humid conditions, with temperatures in the 90s, to bring the fire under control. A second alarm was struck to bring in additional resources to assist with mop-up of hot spots. Firefighters were on the scene until 2 p.m., according to the Tilton-Northfield Fire Department.

Tilton-Northfield Fire & EMS companies along with Franklin, Belmont, Sanbornton, Laconia, Gilford, state Division of Forest and Lands assisted at the scene. New Hampton Fire Departments provided station coverage.

The fire danger in recent days has been a Class 2, meaning there is a moderate danger of woods fires starting, though they should not be difficult to bring under control.

The high humidity keeping the forest fire danger from getting worse, explained Sanbornton Fire Chief Paul Dexter.

“When you have a high humidity level, the fire doesn’t travel as fast,” Dexter said.

But he said that, because of the recent lack of significant rainfall, low fuels — vegetation between 3 and 5 inches high — has started to dry up. That provides a fuel source when a fire starts.

No area department has yet issued a ban on outside burning, but Dexter said restrictions would be imposed if the fire danger increases to Class 3 — when the danger of fire is considered high.

The last time areas of the state received any appreciable rainfall was on May 15, when about a half inch fell. Since then, less than an inch of rain total has fallen in southern New Hampshire — as much as 75 percent below normal.

No general rainfall is predicted for the area this week, according to the National Weather Service. There is a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms today and Thursday, with a 60 percent chance of storms on Wednesday and Wednesday night, according to the forecast.