Scientists have long tracked smoke and large embers from wildfires. But researchers say another type of particle has received much less attention: Pyrometeors.
Using data collected during the 2021 Caldor Fire, a team from UNR and Utah State University developed a model that predicts how and where these particles land.
Wildfire impacts can extend well beyond the fire zone, said UNR research assistant professor Facundo Scordo.
“Wildfires' impact does not stop where the flames stop,” Scordo said.
The particles can carry nutrients, contaminants and even microbes into lakes and streams and significant amounts can still be found many miles away.
“Even 40 kilometers away from the fire, these pyrometeors are substantial. They are highly active and will produce a substantial impact when they land in the land or in the water,” Scordo said.
After the Caldor Fire, scientists saw more algae in Lake Tahoe, including an increase in toxic cyanobacteria, and a shift in which types of algae dominate the water.
These changes are linked to wildfire particles that fall into the lake, bringing extra nutrients and blocking some of the sunlight that normally helps keep algae in check.
Scordo’s goal now is to do more detailed chemical analyses of these particles, and apply the predictive model to other fires.
