2 ms·

> Climate change easily makes little accidents more likely to turn into big ones. precisely - when climate tips ground temps close to ignition points it does n

> Climate change easily makes little accidents more likely to turn into big ones. precisely - when climate tips ground temps close to ignition points it does not take much to spark a huge conflagration, even if the source is human.

dylan604 2y ago
Where have temps ever reached a point close to ignition points? Quick search says hottest temp ever on Earth was 135°F/56.7°C in Death Valley. Another quick search doesn't show specific grass/leaf ignition points, and I've spent more time on it already that I probably should have, but not 0 effort.
- rurp 2y ago
  Temperature records are generally recorded in a controlled way for consistent readings using the same height, shade, etc. There have certainly been points on the earth that have gotten hotter than the official record. Whether that's enough to cause plants to spontaneously combust though, I have no idea.
- lazide 2y ago
  Those are air temperatures in the shade. Direct sunlight gets much hotter, and in Death Valley for instance you can get third degree burns walking on sand dunes (not even black sand!) [https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-man-got-third-degree-burns-walking-on-blazing-hot-sand-dunes-in-death-val/?ref=TSM https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-man-got-third-d...] [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records#:~:text=The%20theoretical%20maximum%20possible%20ground,soils%20of%20low%20thermal%20conductivity https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records#:~:t....] Furnace creek had a measured ground temp of 201F not that long ago. That’s a lot closer to flash point than air temp. And localized reflections can easily boost that.
- JohnMakin 2y ago
  > Where have temps ever reached a point close to ignition points? California wild fires are often triggered by chaparral combusting, helped by high ground temperatures, which are not the same as air temperatures and can be much, much hotter.

dylan604 2y ago

Where have temps ever reached a point close to ignition points? Quick search says hottest temp ever on Earth was 135°F/56.7°C in Death Valley. Another quick search doesn't show specific grass/leaf ignition points, and I've spent more time on it already that I probably should have, but not 0 effort.

rurp 2y ago
Temperature records are generally recorded in a controlled way for consistent readings using the same height, shade, etc. There have certainly been points on the earth that have gotten hotter than the official record. Whether that's enough to cause plants to spontaneously combust though, I have no idea.
lazide 2y ago
Those are air temperatures in the shade. Direct sunlight gets much hotter, and in Death Valley for instance you can get third degree burns walking on sand dunes (not even black sand!) [https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-man-got-third-degree-burns-walking-on-blazing-hot-sand-dunes-in-death-val/?ref=TSM https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-man-got-third-d...] [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records#:~:text=The%20theoretical%20maximum%20possible%20ground,soils%20of%20low%20thermal%20conductivity https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records#:~:t....] Furnace creek had a measured ground temp of 201F not that long ago. That’s a lot closer to flash point than air temp. And localized reflections can easily boost that.
JohnMakin 2y ago
> Where have temps ever reached a point close to ignition points? California wild fires are often triggered by chaparral combusting, helped by high ground temperatures, which are not the same as air temperatures and can be much, much hotter.