After several brush fires flared up around the region Wednesday, dry and windy conditions will continue to bring “elevated fire weather conditions” through Thursday evening for portions of Maryland and Virginia, the National Weather Service warned.
“Humidity is very low,” says 7News Meteorologist Brian van de Graaff. “When the relative humidity is low, any moisture that’s in grass, pine needles, or loose brush actually evaporates into the atmosphere, and it becomes more quickly flammable.”
Even though spring has arrived, dried natural materials from last year can catch fire, van de Graaff said.
“We are in the spring rebirth, but there’s also left-over pine needles and leaves, you see them in your yard,” he said. “That’s fuel — fuel for fires.”
The fuel can be right next to roads, and can be sparked “when someone chucks a cigarette butt out the window,” said van de Graaf.
There is one active fire at Shenandoah National Park that has affected 450 acres. Public affairs officer Claire Comer tells WTOP the fire began Wednesday afternoon on private land but quickly spread into the park.
Park Service crews, with help from the Virginia Department of Forestry and the Luray Fire Department, are fighting the fire, Comer said. As a result, parts of Skyline Drive are closed.
On Wednesday, fire departments in Maryland and Virginia reported several brush fires fueled by the gusty winds.
More than 100 new fires popped up across Virginia on Wednesday, affecting more than 1,600 acres across the state, many of them in the central part of the state, Virginia Department of Forestry spokesperson Cory Swift told The Associated Press.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Pete Piringer said a large fire in the woods in the Barnesville/Dickerson area was believed to have been sparked by a downed power line and burned at least 60 acres.
“The rapidly spreading fire encroached on some nearby homes” and damaged a shed, before crews got the fire contained, Piringer said on the social media platform X.
Update – In the area of Old Hundred Rd, Barnesville Rd, Conroy Rd & W Baltimore Rd & Peachtree Rd, Comus Rd, ** @mcfrs Incident Commanders believe the fire consumed ~60 acres, damaged 1 structure/shed, some fencing, Old Hundred Rd is re-opened pic.twitter.com/E1hBxQhDh2
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) March 21, 2024
In Prince William County, Virginia, firefighters responded to more than three dozen outside fires on Wednesday. Most of them were small fires, a fire department spokesman said. However, there were three larger fires including one near Quantico that closed Route 1/Richmond Highway for hours on Wednesday evening.
The National Weather Service said Thursday’s winds are expected to be less severe than Wednesday’s. The fires on Wednesday resulted in the Washington area’s air quality to shift from good (Code Green) to moderate (Code Yellow).
Air quality has returned to Code Green for Thursday, which means no additional breathing challenges.
March is the windiest month of the year, says van de Graaf. While March winds can often provide in sneak peaks at summer, in dry conditions they increase fire risk: “That overall constant breeze is just an exacerbator.”
While the current weather advisory is expected to end at 8 p.m., van de Graaf said the dry conditions could continue through most of Friday.
“Late Friday into Saturday, we’re looking at over an inch of rain, which will moisten the ground, raise the humidity levels, and calm our fire concerns, at least for the short term.”
WTOP’s Jack Moore and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
