This year’s DC fireworks display is shaping up to be one for the books.
Event organizers are aiming to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest show. It will last around 40 minutes and will feature about 850,000 fireworks. (A typical July 4 show in DC includes about 20,000 fireworks, according to The Washington Post.) On top of that, the region is in the midst of a dangerous heat wave.
This could all add up to hazardous air quality conditions.
The Post reports that it has viewed internal National Park Service documents about potential air quality issues. The documents say air quality will be “very unhealthy” and people should “avoid prolonged exposure” to the area following the show.
According to Capital Weather, “Unless there are strong winds, there will very likely be near-record amounts of smoke to go with all the fireworks. As of now, winds only look to be around 5 to 8 mph, which will struggle to push the smoke along. If a chance of scattered storms materializes, it could become even more humid and primed for smoke to hang around.”
Avoiding Fireworks Air Pollution
For portions of DC and Arlington, the NPS documents say that people should “expect irritation symptoms” and should limit their pollution exposure, The Post reports. Air pollution is projected to remain in the area for three to six hours after the fireworks show.
George Thurston, a professor of medicine and population health at New York University, told The Post, “People should use the precautionary principle, which is to minimize exposures. An N95 mask would be a good idea.”
This year’s DC show is scheduled to start around 10:30 or 11 p.m., much later than previous years. If you’re planning to attend, be aware of Metro service and road closures in the area. And be sure to check out our insider’s tips to viewing the fireworks and our list of where to see the DC fireworks from Northern Virginia.
Feature image, JosueFiallo/stock.adobe.com
