The last area of Maine experiencing extreme drought conditions was downgraded Thursday, but the entire state remains under severe and moderate drought conditions.

Meanwhile, the Maine Forest Service declared most of Maine was under a high wildfire risk on Thursday. Only the state’s northwest corner was considered at low fire risk.

DROUGHT CONDITIONS

The U.S. Drought Monitor dropped the “extreme” drought rating along Maine’s southern coastline this week. In October, all of coastal Maine — other than the southernmost tip of York County — was in extreme drought.

Much of the state is still under severe drought conditions. That includes the entirety of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Lincoln, Kennebec, Knox, Sagadahoc and York counties, and most of Hancock, Oxford and Somerset counties.

Those elsewhere are experiencing moderate drought conditions, including all of Washington County and parts of Aroostook, Franklin, Oxford, Piscataquis, Penobscot and Somerset counties.

But the National Weather Service warned Thursday that, without significant rainfall, conditions could worsen again come summer.

The weather service’s Gray office explained in a social media post that the speed at which snow melted this spring meant a lot of it ran into bodies of water rather than soaking into the ground.

“While conditions improve in the short term, the deep moisture deficits remain, making the region highly vulnerable to further regressing once the summer heat begins,” the agency stated.

WILDFIRE DANGER

The vast majority of Maine was placed under a high danger designation for wildfires on Thursday. Only western Aroostook County and northern Somerset and Penobscot Counties were considered to be at a low risk by the Maine Forest Service.

The declaration sparked reminders from fire departments across the state that no burn permits are issued when the danger reaches that level. Barring further local restrictions, a “high” or “very high” risk designation generally means only small campfires and grilling are allowed in Maine.

April and May annually mark a period of increased wildfires, said Terri Teller, a ranger and fire prevention specialist with the Maine Forest Service.

The dry grass and leaves littering the ground after snow melts, higher temperatures, relatively low humidity and wind all play a role, she said.

“In April 2025, Maine experienced 193 wildfires, burning 177 acres,” Teller said in an email Thursday. “All of those fires were caused by human activities, and more than a third were related to debris and open burning.”

The Maine Forest Service responded to a house fire in Westfield on Thursday that spread to surrounding fields.

Teller encouraged people to check the daily fire danger rating at mainefireweather.org before burning. The fire prevention specialist also reminded Mainers to never leave a fire unattended and to make sure a fire is fully extinguished before leaving the area.