WASHINGTON - Powerful winds blew across the Washington area Wednesday afternoon, exacerbating fires and toppling trees.

Someone's cell phone captured the destructive force of a wind-whipped fire in Manassas. At least five town houses were damaged but James Henderson's was spared.

"I feel very fortunate that the wind was blowing that way and not towards out house," he said. "I wasn't here when it was going down but I feel terrible for the people."

"It's scary that it was so close," neighbor Julie McWain added. 

Fire officials say the high winds drove embers and flames from a bed of mulch toward two other townhomes near the blaze. At least two home appear to be a total loss.

"The fire did move significantly with the wind," said Prince William County (web | news) Fire and Rescue Captain Tom Denner. "The wind blew it almost to the exposures, to the building next to the main fire building, and spread it across the ground."

The fire did an estimated $100,000.



One fire in Potomac, Maryland, was intensified by the powerful gusts. What started as an electrical fire in the garage quickly spread to the rest of the house.

The wind was strong enough in Springfield to topple a massive branch, which crashed through a roof into dining room where a woman was sitting. She was struck in the head and rushed to an area hospital.

Her injuries are not considered life-threatening.

One insurance adjuster told ABC 7 News he was amazed by the amount of damage done by Wednesday's windy weather.

On the National Mall, the wind wreaked havoc on a demonstration of solar powered homes. 

A fallen tree tied up traffic and nearly took out someone's car in Northwest.

 

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