The fires sweeping through Oregon, California and Washington continue to grow, threatening not just homes, but people's health as well.
And, now, a new phenomenon has been envisioned showing that they can even change the climate.
According to what was reported by the BBC and the Cal Fire agency, so far more than 29 fire points have been registered in California, consuming more than 1,254,000 hectares, making it one of the worst that has been registered in the last decade .
One of its most common immediate effects is clouds of smoke, and winds laden with carbon particles that can travel for miles around.
But in this case, the intensity of the fire caused, in addition to the sky covered with ash, a dangerous meteorological phenomenon was formed that was captured from space, thanks to NASA satellites.
It is the pyrocumulonimbus or
cumulonimbus flammagenitus
, an artificial storm cloud that, according to the agency, is "like a huge chimney that carries a large amount of smoke to the stratosphere."
The NASA statement detailed that this cloud appears to be larger than those recorded in other cases.
"The aerosol index values created by the pyrocumulonimbus cloud indicate that this is one of the largest, if not the largest, pyroCb events seen in the United States," said specialist
Colin Seftor
.
Clouds, although they are artificially formed, can also create a storm like any other.
In fact, experts warn that this is what makes them especially dangerous, since they could spread fires or cause new ones to start.
"Precipitation and lightning can also occur with these types of clouds, which creates the risk of the fire spreading due to increased wind, due to the downdraft of precipitation or creating new fires due to lightning" , clarified NASA.
In addition, pyrocumulonimbus can be darker and denser than the rest of the clouds, affecting the visibility of planes and satellites, as happened with the instruments of the space agency, which are only capable of observing a blob over California.
In addition to the aforementioned risks, this phenomenon increases the impact of climate change in the country, especially in the state, where heat and droughts have made the fires become increasingly ferocious.
For now, the fire cloud has formed only once this year.
But there is a risk that it will continue to expand, or that new ones will be created, if the fires are not put out.
Photo: Getty Images
Likewise, another meteorological phenomenon that has been visualized in recent weeks is the orange skies, which turn this color because the smoke particles scatter the natural light of the sun and only allow “the yellow-orange-red light to reach to the surface, making the skies look orange, "explained the California air pollution control agency, Bay Area Air District.
See also:
Experts warn about the impact of fires on your health and give recommendations
COVID-19 and fires: protection measures for farm workers
Gender reveal party causes massive fire in El Dorado, California
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