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Critical Fire Weather Conditions In The DC Area

WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- A red flag warning has been issued for Northern Virginia and the DC Metro area from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Monday, April 9, 2012.

The warning was issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). 

"A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low humidity, low fuel moisture, and warm temperatures will create explosive fire growth potential," officials said. 

Fire danger is severely elevated due to dry conditions along with gusty winds. 

The potential will be high for rapid spread of any uncontrolled brush or wild fires. 

Everyone should be extremely careful igniting any flames during this period, and should avoid it entirely, if at all possible, officials said. 

Alexandria Public Schools 2 Hour Delay

Due to inclement weather, all Alexandria City Public Schools will have a two-hour delayed opening on Monday, January 23.

 

Flooding Fears In Huntington

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- Homeowners in Huntington are still recovering from flooding earlier this month. Now they're bracing themselves for the possibility of more.

On Arlington Terrace residents have been warned to move their cars to higher ground and clean out their basements for possible flooding Friday night.

Many basements are pretty empty. A number of homeowners lost valuables, including water heaters and furnaces, when their basements filled with nearly 4-6 feet of water earlier this month.

182 homes were damaged when flood waters rose earlier this month.

Many residents expressed frustration at Fairfax County officials who told them there this is no money to build a flood wall that they say would keep their neighborhood dry.

Mosquito Onslaught Expected After Floods

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va.  (WUSA) -- Blame Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee for that bumper crop of mosquitoes you're starting to see and feel.  This late-season breeding has increased the risk of West Nile virus.

Boy Dead Due To Va. Flooding

VIENNA, Va. (AP) -- A boy died in rising floodwater's in Fairfax County as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee sent torrential rains streaming into northern Virginia, officials said.

Fairfax County police say 12-year-old Jack Donaldson was swept away by an overflowing creek while playing in his backyard around 6 p.m. Thursday. The creek ran behind the family's home on Marcliff Ct. Lexis Nexis.

Donaldson's body was found nearby less than two hours later.

Dan Schmidt, spokesman for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, said creeks in the county have swollen out of their banks in the rain.

"Doing anything other than respecting the water rolling through creeks would not be prudent," he said. "People need to stay inside or go to high ground."

Police say there were numerous reports throughout the county of cars stuck in rising waters and that first responders had difficulty at times getting to the scenes quickly.