To Save Lives, Scientists Probe the Secrets of Towering Wildfire Clouds

A series of large wildfires occurring in California, Oregon and Washington are providing enterprising scientists with an opportunity to study one of nature’s most unusual, dirtiest and spectacular clouds, known as “pyrocumulus,” or “pyrocu” (pronounced “pyroQ”) for short

These clouds, comprised of ash and soot particles lifted skyward by the upwardly moving current of exhaust air above a fire, are both the result of a wildfire and a contributor to that fire’s behavior. Therefore, understanding these clouds is key to saving firefighter’s lives as well as the lives and property that may lie in the path of a capricious blaze. Read more...

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