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Scientists fear surge in supersized bushfires that create their own violent thunderstorms

Source(s): Guardian, the (UK)
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By Graham Readfearn

Scientists fear climate change will drive a surge in the number of supersized and dangerous bushfires that become coupled with the atmosphere and create their own violent thunderstorms.

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PyroCBs are able to generate their own lightning strikes, mass downdrafts of air, gusty winds and even hail blackened with soot. The plumes generated from pyroCBs can influence the atmosphere at heights of up to 15km.

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Research led by Dowdy and published in the journal Scientific Reports has found that adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere will make more dangerous conditions favourable to pyroCB events in the future, particularly for the southern parts of Australia.

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In response to a rising number of pyroCBs, he said the NSW Rural Fire Service was using weather balloons to take atmospheric measurements during times it is feared that pyroCBs could form. New communications material for firefighters has also been produced.

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Hazards Wildfire
Themes Climate change Risk identification and assessment

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