New York City declared a drought warning on Monday, its first in 22 years, as the Northeast deals with severe dry conditions and brush fires during a historically dry autumn. Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s Department of Environmental Protection elevated a drought watch issued on Nov.

New York City on Monday issued its first drought warning in 22 years and paused major repairs to its main water aqueduct out of concern for the lack of rainfall. Dry conditions across the Northeast have been blamed for hundreds of brush fires.

The mayor ordered city agencies to implement a range of drought protocols to conserve water and reminded New Yorkers to continue to do their part in saving water wherever possible. Conserving water will slow the depletion rate of the stored water in city reservoirs and can potentially postpone or eliminate the threat of a serious shortage.