Heat and drought-like conditions are posing serious concerns for farmers and prompting water use restrictions and bans in some towns. The dry spell is hitting the region from Maine to Pennsylvania. Wildfire flames are lapping at parts of Massachusetts, and Maine is expecting a smaller blueberry crop.

Hardest hit are Massachusetts, western New York, and the southern climes of New Hampshire and Maine.

A second year of below-average rainfall and fewer big storms this year are driving the dry blast of weather.

National weather experts say the drought could persist until the end of October.

(AP)