Soaring heating oil prices put struggling Maine families in a bind

What happened: Heating oil prices in Maine have soared, straining families like the Olivers of Freeport, who earn about $60,000 a year and face hard choices on food, gas, and heat. Key numbers: Heating oil rose from $3.34 per gallon a year ago to $5.97 today, about 79%. The Olivers got 100 gallons free, worth about $700. Over 4 million U.S. Why it matters: Demand at the Freeport Wood Bank is extremely high, and its firewood supply is expected to run out by midwinter. DiMarco said people do not grasp the severity, as heating oil costs twice last year's price.

Heating oil prices in Maine have soared, straining families like the Olivers of Freeport, who earn about $60,000 a year and face hard choices on food, gas, and heat.

Demand at the Freeport Wood Bank is extremely high, and its firewood supply is expected to run out by midwinter. DiMarco said people do not grasp the severity, as heating oil costs twice last year's price.