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Officials warn of dangerous conditions as brush fires bring smoke to D.C. area

The National Weather Service on cautioned that weather conditions conducive to fires will linger through Thursday evening.

By Jason Samenow, Clarence Williams, Ian Livingston | 2024-03-21

Hot spots detected by weather satellite indicative of fires. (NOAA) (NOAA)

A series of fires in Virginia and Maryland brought a smoky haze into the D.C. region Wednesday evening, as a combination of strong winds and low humidity created conditions that the National Weather Service said could fuel more blazes Thursday.

Red flag warnings for dangerous fire weather were discontinued Wednesday night as winds eased. However, the Weather Service issued a statement Thursday morning cautioning that weather conditions conducive to fires will linger through the evening.

While winds were not expected to reach Wednesday's levels, it said a combination of relative humidity as low as 15 to 20 percent and wind gusts of 15 to 20 mph mean an elevated threat for the spread of fires.

"Residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution if handling open flames or equipment that creates sparks," the Weather Service said. "Also, dispose of cigarette butts, matches, and other flammable items in appropriate containers. Keep vehicles off of dry grass and obey local burn bans. Most dry grasses, dead leaves, and other tree litter could easily ignite and spread fire quickly."

A heavy rainstorm expected on Friday night into Saturday will end the fire threat and should extinguish most active blazes.

The smoke streaming over the Washington region Wednesday from the west caused the air quality to shift from good (code green) to moderate (code yellow). But as winds came from more of a northerly direction by Thursday morning, the smoke dispersed and good air quality returned.

In the D.C. region, authorities were working Wednesday evening to extinguish fires in Fairfax, Montgomery, Howard and Prince William counties as well as the District, and users on social media reported several blazes in western Virginia.

Fairfax County fire officials reported that crews were working "six outside fires" and that dispatchers fielded calls for reports of smoke blown into the county by high winds from fires burning in nearby jurisdictions. About 65 Montgomery County firefighters knocked down a brush fire in the Boyds area, and other crews responded to fires in the Poolesville and Clarksburg areas, county fire and EMS spokesman Pete Piringer said.

Prince William County firefighters were dispatched to 39 outside and brush fires beginning about noon Wednesday, including large fires in the 4700 block of Locust Shade Drive and near Richmond Highway and Russell Road, where northbound traffic was blocked. No injuries or structural damage were immediately reported, county fire officials said.

A brush fire in Columbia was brought under control by Howard County firefighters in the 7500 block of Grace Drive after 5 p.m., officials said.

In Rock Creek Park in Northwest Washington, D.C. Fire and EMS said Wednesday on X they responded to a fire on about three acres in the vicinity of Carter Barron Amphitheatre. They said "most visible fire" was extinguished, and no structures were threatened.

In central and western Virginia, officials declared emergencies and asked residents to evacuate in Louisa and Page counties, according to emergency statements released by officials in those jurisdictions. No immediate information could be learned about injuries or property damage.

The National Park Service implemented a total fire ban in Shenandoah National Park and closed the portion of Skyline Drive from Thornton Gap to the Matthews Arm campground.

Winds gusted to 40 to 60 mph along and west of the Interstate 81 corridor on Wednesday, toppling trees and power lines. Front Royal clocked a gust of 61 mph. Closer to the Beltway, gusts reached 35 to 45 mph.

Near 30,000 customers were without power in Virginia because of the high winds on Wednesday evening; that number dropped to around 5,000 Thursday morning.

Peak wind gusts through 6 p.m. (National Weather Service)

Wednesday's strong winds were a result of a difference in pressure between a storm in eastern Canada and a zone of high pressure sinking southward from Canada into the central United States.

As the winds between these pressure systems whipped over the Appalachian Mountains from the west, they intensified while rushing down the eastern slopes through as a process known as "downsloping." And while descending from higher elevations, the air also warmed and dried out. Many firestorms, such as the disaster in Maui in August, have been fanned by downsloping winds.

March and April are two of the more common months for elevated fire risks in the Mid-Atlantic. The fall can also present these risks, too, especially after dry summers.

Fire threats are common in March because it is the windiest month of the year, followed closely by April. As a transition season, the spring sees the frequent passage of fronts, which are accompanied by changes in air temperature and pressure that stir up the wind.

Before the green-up of plants and trees, moisture also tends to be limited. A lack of leaves in March both reduces evapotranspiration, a process in which plants release moisture into the atmosphere, and leads to the exposure of dry fuels.


This article was downloaded by calibre from https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/20/smoke-fire-virginia-maryland-montgomery-prince-william-howard/


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