FIRE BAN IN EFFECT In response to the continued elevated risk of wildfires, DEM has issued a fire ban at all State Parks, campgrounds, and management areas until further notice. The ban is effective as of today (10/28/24) and includes campfires in designated campfire areas, including charcoal fires and cooking fires. This preventative measure applies to all DEM-managed lands and aims to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires. DEM will continue to monitor and evaluate conditions to determine when the ban can be lifted. Together we can protect our communities and keep first responders safe by reducing the risk of wildfires: 📞 Call 911 if you spot a fire/smoke. Timely information is critical to contain fires before they spread. 🔥 Remember, any outdoor fire is a potential source for a wildfire. Be careful with cigarettes and ashes. When disposing of wood stove ashes, put the ashes in a metal bucket of water. 🚒 Check with your local fire department for any other restrictions and permitting information. 🚨 Stay informed and find resources at dem.ri.gov/wildfirestatus.
Reports from Prior Bay Incidents Fish Kills in Marine Waters of Rhode Island in 2005 PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Health and Environmental Advisory for Residents of Conimicut Point PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Beach Monitoring Program (RIDOH) The Greenwich Bay Fish Kill (NBEP) North Cape Oil Spill of 1996 (DARRP) World Prodigy Oil Spill of 1989 (DARRP) Brown Tide Research Initiative (NY Sea Grant) Burning of H.M.S. Gaspee - June 9, 1772 (Gaspee Virtual Archives) Contexts and Conditions Nearby: What You Can Do To Prevent Polluted Runoff, Nonpoint Source Pollution (EPA) Eyes on the Bay (MD Dept. of Natural Resources) USGS Studies in Long Island Sound: Geology, Contaminants, and Environmental Issues (USGS) Long Island Sound Study Nutrient Pollution of Coastal Rivers, Bays, and Seas (Ecological Society of America) Water Quality Criteria for Chesapeake Bay(EPA, Chesapeake Bay Program)