Residents in Washington, D.C. are facing a potential fire hazard as the National Weather Service issues a fire weather watch for the region on Wednesday. Despite being an urban area, the combination of dry air and strong winds can create conditions favorable for fires to spread quickly. Typically, fire risks are higher in open and undeveloped areas outside the city limits and towards the mountainous regions.
The heightened fire danger is expected to begin on Tuesday afternoon, with winds picking up and gusting to nearly 30 mph. Wednesday afternoon into the evening could bring even stronger gusts of up to 45 mph, alongside humidity levels dropping to around 20 percent in some spots. While the winds are forecasted to decrease by Thursday, they may still be quite brisk.
These strong winds, originating from a westerly direction, intensify as they pass over the Appalachians and descend over the eastern slopes. This phenomenon, known as ‘downsloping,’ causes the air to warm, dry out, and accelerate. While downsloping winds have fueled severe firestorms in the past, the winds anticipated in this event are not expected to be as intense.
The Weather Service warns that the strong winds could lead to isolated incidents of downed trees and power lines, potentially sparking fires. The atmospheric conditions causing the strong winds are a result of differing pressure systems between a storm in eastern Canada and a high-pressure zone moving southwards in the central United States.
Fire weather watches are not uncommon in the region during March and April, as these months pose an increased risk for fires in the Mid-Atlantic area. The transition from winter to spring brings about fluctuating temperatures, pressure changes, and windy conditions, which can escalate fire risks.
Amid concerns of potential fire threats, the public is advised to exercise caution and avoid activities such as flicking cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles. Properly extinguishing outdoor fires and following other safety guidelines can help reduce the risk of fires spreading. Should forecasters become more confident in the elevated fire danger, the fire weather watch may be upgraded to a “red flag warning.”
As Washington, D.C. braces for the possibility of fire hazards, vigilance and adherence to safety measures are crucial to mitigating risks and ensuring the safety of residents and properties in the region.