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Weather and fire behavior: Cloud cover

It is not advisable to burn when cloud cover is greater than 70 percent or the ceiling is less than 2000 feet. The clouds will interfere with the lift of the smoke column. These conditions suggest that the atmosphere is very stable which will result in poor smoke dispersal.

A graphic showing the impact of cloud cover on fire behavior: If there is less than 50% sky cover, expect an active fire and high flame heights. If there is greater than 50% sky cover, expect an inactive fire and low flame heights.

Courtesy of NWCG, S290
  • Unit 4 of 5
  • Topic 1 of 1
  • Page 9 of 33
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