National Climatic Data Center, 15 August 2002

• 4,877 wildfires have scorched 29,780 acres through July 31 (according to the National Interagency Fire Center).
• 43% of the state's topsoil was rated as very dry ("short to very short") by the USDA as of July 28.
• 55% of the state's range and pasture lands were reported in poor to very poor condition by the USDA as of July 28.

• On July 12, Governor Mike Easley called on all public water systems and agricultural and industrial water users in the areas hardest hit by drought to reduce their water use by at least 20 percent.
• Also on July 12, Governor Easley called on the federal government to designate 54 North Carolina counties disaster areas due to severe drought throughout the state.
• As of July 17, 52 water systems were under water use restrictions and 45 were under voluntary restrictions.
• According to USDA Flash Situation Reports, prolonged drought conditions have led to excessive agricultural losses for the following crops: corn (grain and silage), tobacco, soybeans, pasture, hay and produce (fruits and vegetables). A county is considered to have "excessive losses" if at least one applicable crop has suffered a 35 percent or greater reduction in normal yield. Many counties in North Carolina have reported losses as high as 75-80 percent on some crops. Preliminary estimates of agricultural losses by the state Department of Agriculture exceed $170 million.