Increased Fire Risk For NoVA, DC Caused By Low Humidity, Winds

VIRGINIA/DC — Outdoor burning is a danger Saturday afternoon in Northern Virginia, with low humidity and strong winds creating an enhanced threat for the spread of wildfires, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency issued a special weather statement Friday urging residents in Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area to be careful with any source that could start a fire and to dispose of smoking materials properly.

West winds will be around 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph until about 7 p.m. Saturday ahead of a cold front moving into the area, the NWS said. The winds could blow around unsecured objects and cause tree limbs to be blown down. A few power outages also may occur.

"Low relative humidities are forecast during this time as well, with values below 30 percent," the NWS said. "While some areas had rain in the last 24 hours, windy conditions and low humidity on Friday will have dried out fuels across the area. All of these factors combined will result in an elevated risk for the spread of fires Saturday afternoon."

Officials said the special weather statement about the enhanced fire threat applies to the District of Columbia and these areas in Virginia: Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and the cities of Falls Church, Alexandria, Fairfax, Manassas and Fredericksburg.

The NWS said outdoor burning is strongly discouraged Saturday afternoon. "If you do burn, use extreme caution and ensure fire suppression is readily available," the weather service said.

The strongest winds will likely occur between 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday as the cold front moves into the region. The region also could see some snow flurries Saturday afternoon.

Dominion Energy said the strong winds may cause power outages. The utility suggests customers use the Dominion Energy app to report power outages and monitor for status updates.

Here's the NWS forecast for the close-in suburbs of D.C. for the next few days:

Saturday: A slight chance of rain showers, mixing with snow after 2 p.m., then gradually ending. Increasing clouds, with a high near 47. Breezy, with a south wind 8 to 13 mph becoming northwest 17 to 22 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 47 mph.

Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21. Northwest wind 12 to 17 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 43. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Sunday night: Clear, with a low around 32. South wind 6 to 8 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 59.

Monday night: A chance of showers after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Tuesday: Showers. High near 61.