Severe weather prompted federal officials to evacuate thousands from the National Mall on Saturday evening as they gathered for July 4 celebrations, with the National Park Service issuing an evacuation alert around 7:15 p.m. and Freedom 250 organizers escalating the warning moments later as thunderstorms approached.
The National Park Service initially asked fireworks visitors to seek shelter and follow directions from park rangers, law enforcement, and event staff. About 20 minutes later, Freedom 250 organizers told attendees to immediately evacuate event grounds and seek temporary shelter in nearby buildings as severe storms moved through the Washington area.
“The safety of our guests, performers, and staff is our top priority,” Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement. “Due to approaching severe storms, Freedom 250, United States Secret Service, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and all public safety partners are asking all guests to evacuate event grounds and seek temporary shelter in a nearby building.”
The National Mall evacuation was part of a broader weather emergency that had already disrupted the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for the D.C. area, with heat index values expected to reach between 110°F and 115°F on July 4, according to NPR. The agency warned that “heat related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events.”
The extreme heat had forced other changes to DC’s holiday plans earlier in the day. Washington’s National Independence Day Parade, scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., was canceled late Friday night due to the dangerous temperatures. Todd Marcocci, president of Under The Sun Productions, which was overseeing the parade, said the decision followed consultation with the National Park Service, DC city government, and Freedom 250 organizers.
The Great American State Fair on the National Mall had temporarily closed Friday afternoon as temperatures reached 101 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Reuters. Entry to the National Mall’s fireworks viewing zone was delayed due to heat. Reagan National Airport had recorded 102°F on Friday afternoon, breaking a record of 101°F for that specific date which had stood since 1966, according to NPR.
Organizers directed National Mall visitors seeking shelter to federal buildings including the Ronald Reagan Building, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Internal Revenue Service building, and Voice of America building. Museums including the National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Thomas Jefferson Memorial were also opened as shelter locations.
The heat wave extended well beyond the capital region. According to Reuters, peak heat indexes could reach 115°F in parts of the country, with several cities setting record temperature highs. More than 250 million Americans faced some form of major or extreme heat risk on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, with dangerous temperatures affecting the eastern and southern U.S. Parades in Leesburg and Fairfax, Virginia, and in Takoma Park and Laurel, Maryland, were also canceled because of the heat, according to NBC4 Washington.
The National Weather Service also warned of the possibility of severe thunderstorms into the afternoon and evening that could produce “destructive wind gusts up to 70 to 80 mph,” according to NPR. The Secret Service suspended security screening on the National Mall due to the dangerous storms.
Sources
- WUSA9 — National Park Service evacuation alert around 7:15 p.m., Freedom 250 escalation, list of shelter locations
- WJLA — Evacuation details, shelter locations, Freedom 250 statement, Secret Service suspension of screening
- NPR — Parade cancellation details, heat index forecasts of 110-115°F, National Weather Service warnings, record temperatures Friday
- Reuters — Heat indexes reaching 115°F nationally, Great American State Fair temporary closure
- NBC4 Washington — Parade cancellations in Virginia and Maryland, heat records
