WASHINGTON – The combination of a cold front draped across the mid-Atlantic and dry relative humidity values helped dozens of fires explode during a wildfire outbreak on Wednesday.

Wildfires were reported from Maryland to North Carolina, with the greatest concentration appearing to be in West Virginia and Virginia.

The eruption of flames came just hours after the West Virginia Division of Forestry warned about the start of the spring fire season when burning faces increased restrictions.

One of the largest fires appeared to be burning in Rockingham County, Virginia, where nearly 2,000 acres are thought to have been destroyed, and evacuation orders were issued.

In neighboring Page County, schools have been closed, and an evacuation shelter has been opened at a local high school.

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The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a health alert through at least Thursday evening due to the potential of unhealthy particles in the smoke.

“Active children and adults should limit or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities until conditions improve. People unusually sensitive to air pollution, especially those with heart or lung disease (including asthma), should avoid strenuous outdoor activities until conditions improve,” the department said.

At least one of the fires is burning in the Shenandoah National Park, forcing nearby evacuations and the closure of parts of the historic Appalachian Trail.

So far, local authorities have not reported any fatalities associated with the fires, but the combination of wind gusts of more than 60 mph and fast-moving flames caused at least 10,000 electric outages in the region, according to PowerOutage.us.

Fire weather alerts were in effect on Wednesday and could be reissued on Thursday if favorable fire weather conditions exist.

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According to NWS offices in Washington, D.C. and Blacksburg, Virginia, the amount of fire activity is not unprecedented when compared to previous firestorms over the last few decades.

Widespread rains are expected to impact the region on Friday but not before another dry day, with relative humidity values of between 10 and 20 percent on Thursday.

Forecasters expect wind speeds to drastically decrease through the rest of the workweek, which will help reduce the erratic nature of the fires.

Original article source: Dozens of wildfires erupt during blustery conditions along Appalachian Mountains