Gov. Sununu to enact emergency drought rules
PEMBROKE, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says he anticipates announcing a statewide severe drought law.
Gov. Sununu asked the Executive Council Wednesday to prepare to vote by phone on a unique emergency law to prohibit outdoor fires near public woodlands to prevent forest fires, the Portsmouth Herald reported.
The state has not had substantial rain for weeks, which has led some private wells to go dry and forced water bans on lawns and washing cars.
Gov. Sununu says that the state is looking to ban “kindling of any open fires and smokers and smoking near woodlands.”
Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli, D-Nashua, said that she has never heard of something like this coming before the council. Gov. Sununu said that it was the first time in 23 years that such a law has been warranted.
Executive Councilor Russell Prescott, R-Kingston, said he would want a definition of what qualifies as woodland and how far open fires would have to be from woodlands.