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Forest Rangers: Rainy April Means Fewer Wildfires

All that rainy weather in April has a silver lining: There have been fewer forest fires.

Forest rangers say the weather pattern that has brought rain every couple of days served to suppress forest fires across northern New England.

The National Weather Service says there was a trace or more of rain in April on 20 days in Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont; and on 23 days in Concord, New Hampshire.

So far, there have been more than 40 forest fires that burned a little more than 30 acres in Maine. Maine Forest Ranger spokesman Kent Nelson said that's actually good for this time of the year.

Officials caution that the fire season isn't over. It will be several weeks before vegetation turns green, reducing the fire danger.