how far can smoke travel
Smoke can travel significant distances depending on several factors, including:
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Wind Speed: Strong winds can carry smoke over long distances. For example, smoke from wildfires in the western United States has been known to travel across the entire country and even reach other countries.
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Height of Emission: Smoke that rises higher into the atmosphere can travel farther due to less resistance and stronger winds at higher altitudes.
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Topography: Mountainous or hilly terrain can channel smoke and carry it over longer distances.
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Weather Conditions: Temperature inversions and certain weather patterns can trap and transport smoke over great distances.
- Source Intensity: Larger fires or more intense combustion sources produce more smoke, which can travel farther.
For example, smoke from wildfires in Canada has been known to reach Europe, and smoke from Australian bushfires has been tracked traveling across the Pacific Ocean to South America. In terms of distance, smoke can potentially travel thousands of miles (kilometers) under the right conditions.
