"Brush Fires Bring Smoke and Havoc to D.C. Area and Virginia"

Brush fires in Virginia and Maryland brought smoke to the D.C. region, causing a shift in air quality and prompting warnings of dangerous conditions due to strong winds and low humidity. Firefighters in multiple counties worked to extinguish blazes, while officials in central and western Virginia declared emergencies and urged evacuations. High winds and low humidity led to a red flag warning for dangerous fire weather, with power outages affecting thousands of customers in Virginia. Dry, breezy conditions were predicted to continue, but rain was expected to alleviate the fire threat by Friday night.