WESTPORT — The town is being warned about “extreme” fire danger, triggered by worsening drought conditions gripping the region.

The warning to Westport and the rest of Fairfield County about the growing danger of fires was issued in the latest “Daily Forest Fire Danger Report” from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

“All fires are potentially serious, but fires under ‘extreme conditions’ start quickly, spread furiously and burn intensely,” Fire Chief Michael Kronick, the town’s emergency management director, said in a statement Thursday.

After another month of below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures, the region is experiencing near-historic drought conditions not seen since the 1960s. 

“Residents should not be alarmed, but take steps now to reduce their water usage,” Kronick said in the statement.

“You can prepare by being proactive and conscientious of your water usage and be alert of the fire danger,” he added.

The Emergency Management Team issued the following tips to help curb fire dangers and conserve water:

• Reduce automatic outdoor irrigation.

• Postpone planting new lawns or vegetation.

• Minimize overall water use by fixing leaky plumbing and fixtures.

• Follow water-conservation guidelines issued by water suppliers or municipalities.

Additional tips on ways to save water have been compiled by the state Department of Public Health.

Westport, and several other state communities, including nearby Fairfield, Darien, New Canaan and Greenwich, are among those places where residents have been subject to Aquarion Water Co.’s “Mandatory Irrigation Program” since July. The program aims to restrict use of automatic sprinklers to twice weekly.

For more information about drought conditions, click here.