High wind speeds are causing wildfires in Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic states
High winds and low humidity sparked dozens of wildfires across a handful of Mid-Atlantic states on Wednesday, sending officials scrambling to control the fires and issue air quality warnings. And as weather forecasts again raised fire danger on Thursday, firefighters across the region braced to continue the battle against the flames.
Wildfires were reported in parts of Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
The Virginia Department of Forestry said in a statement late Wednesday night that department firefighters had contained 16 wildfires and that crews were still working to control dozens of others.
One of the state’s largest fires was burning in Rockingham County, Virginia, about 140 miles northwest of Richmond, the state capital. Rockingham County Fire Chief Jeremy Holloway said about 2,000 acres had burned. according to WHSV, a local news station. As a result, some residents of neighboring communities were asked to evacuate.
In response to the fires, local states of emergency were declared in Augusta, Page and Shenandoah counties in Virginia. Public schools in Page County were also closed Thursday.
The fires, which started a day after the official start of spring, are not unusual this time of year. Wildfire season in the northeastern United States typically peaks in April and can last into May. according to the National Weather Service. The pre-green period across the region, combined with increasing solar radiation and high-pressure systems, could help fuel these fires.
The Virginia Department of Environment Quality issued an air quality health alert Wednesday, saying people with heart or lung conditions, including children and older adults, should limit their outdoor activities.
Crews battled 39 wildfires on Wednesday in Prince William County, in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington, according to local reports. The flames in that area temporarily closed part of US 1, a major highway that runs from Florida to Maine.
In West Virginia, where smoke was also blown, officials worked to contain wildfires across the state, including in Grant, Hardy and Pendleton counties. WHSV reports.
At least five wildfires were reported in southern West Virginia on Wednesday some burn hundreds of acres.
Fire crews around the Mid-Atlantic region will be on alert again Thursday as weather forecasts call for conditions conducive to more fires.
The Weather Service office in Blacksburg, Virginia, said that despite decreasing winds Thursday, the combination of low relative humidity, northwest winds and dry fuels will again provide ideal fire conditions throughout the evening in southwestern Virginia and southeastern West Virginia . Similar statements were also issued for parts of Maryland and North Carolina.
“Residents are urged to use caution when handling potential ignition sources,” including machinery, cigarettes and matches, weather officials said.
Although the weather will be dry Thursday, a system is expected to bring heavy rain, with the possibility of flash flooding, to much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts this weekend.