Times Argus: 15 years after Irene
September 1, 2026Editor’s note: This editorial was published by The Times Argus on Aug. 28.
Aug. 28 marks 15 years since Tropical Storm Irene bore down on Vermont, soaking some parts of the state with as much as 11 inches of rain in 12 hours. Rivers quickly swelled past flood stage, sending water rushing down the steep hills and slopes like a funnel, unleashing widespread destruction on communities from north to south. It’s difficult to believe so much time has passed. Driving along routes 4 or 2 or 100, the scars are still there. In places, the hillsides are still barren, stripped of their trees, vegetation only just beginning to reclaim them. The riverbeds remain jagged and rocky, reshaped by the powerful floodwaters — and subsequent reconstruction — that rushed through our valleys, devastating roadways, destroying homes and taking lives along the way.
Vast miles of back roads and main roads were lost. Towns like Waterbury and Wilmington — and so many others — were inundated. Communities along Route 100 were turned into virtual islands. According to published reports, Irene washed out 2,000 roads, including 500-plus miles of state highways; damaged or destroyed 200 bridges, 450 utility poles, 600 historic buildings, 1,000 culverts, 3,500 homes and 20,000 acres of farmland; cut off 13 towns; and killed at least seven people. The storm caused around three-quarters of a billion dollars in damage, according to some estimates.
In Irene’s aftermath, Vermonters — as they do — sprang to action, helping neighbors and rebuilding communities. Mutual aid organizations appeared practically overnight across the state, providing essential food and supplies to stranded communities. Work to rebuild began almost immediately, too. Construction companies offered up vehicles, manpower and expertise to aid in state efforts to reopen roads.
Further out, Vermont communities took the hard lessons learned as an opportunity to build back stronger. Across the state, we are using better engineering, which has led to better roads and infrastructure, but the storms are getting stronger and more frequent. Communities in low-lying areas are having serious discussions about moving town centers to higher ground to avoid future destruction. And recent flood events in Barre, Montpelier, Plainfield and Ludlow show that despite work done to mitigate floodwaters in the intervening years since Irene, those communities — and others — still suffered significant losses. The fact is, extreme weather caused by climate change and global warming isn’t going away. If you need evidence, just look out the window or turn on the news. This summer has seen wildfires across the American West, Canada and Europe, as well as sweltering heatwaves in many European countries. In 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated parts of North Carolina, killing over 100 people. Years of drought have created a water crisis in the West. This year’s El Niño is expected to be the strongest ever recorded, potentially pushing temperatures even higher and leading to even more extreme weather.
As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes, “Compared to the beginning of the 20th century, precipitation events are stronger, heavier, and more frequent across most of the United States. … Existing infrastructure may not be able to withstand extreme weather events that bring heavy rains, floods, wind, snow, or temperature changes.”
Climate experts have long warned we are reaching a tipping point, crossing a threshold of global environmental deterioration from which we will not be able to recover. Efforts to reduce the human impact on climate change have been met with opposition from big business interests, climate change deniers, and our current administration.
The hostile nature of the administration should also remind us that we cannot expect help from the federal government. FEMA, while never a perfect partner, has become less dependable, as funding has been cut and support has become increasingly tied to a state’s willingness to acquiesce to the administration’s demands. In the absence of outside help, we should be prepared to go it alone.
Fifteen years after Irene, complacency naturally sets in. While we’ve become better at disaster planning, we are having trouble filling emergency response posts and doing drills at community levels. Preparedness is a muscle we can’t afford to let atrophy. And while the memories may fade, the trauma doesn’t. Post-Irene, a hard rain can trigger feelings of anxiety for whole communities now, as they reflexively fear another possible flood. It’s good to be mindful and prepared, but that level of heightened anxiety — and potentially lingering effects of PTSD — takes an emotional toll.
As we reflect on the lessons learned, the lives lost, and ultimately the communities strengthened through Irene, we should be proud of our sturdy spirit and resiliency in the face of such hardship. As a state, we emerged from Irene confident, brave and ready to face whatever Mother Nature throws at us next.