What happens during smoke inversion under specific weather conditions?

During smoke inversion, the specific weather conditions cause the smoke to accumulate near the ground, leading to poor air quality and reduced visibility. This phenomenon occurs when a layer of warm air traps cooler air at lower elevations, creating a stable atmosphere that prevents the smoke from rising.

As the smoke rises from fires, instead of dispersing into the atmosphere, it becomes trapped under this warmer lid, which can result in a concentration of smoke in the lower layers of the environment. This accumulation can create hazardous conditions, especially for individuals with respiratory vulnerabilities, and it can also influence firefighting operations by limiting visibility and making it more challenging to assess the fire's location and behavior.

In contrast, improved visibility and rapid smoke dispersion are typically observed under conditions that promote vertical mixing, which does not occur during inversion. Moreover, while the intensity of a fire can be affected by various factors, smoke inversion specifically relates to the behavior of smoke rather than the fire's combustion characteristics.