Study: Wildfire smoke can have lasting impact on climate

(CNN) – A new report says smoke from wildfires could have more impact on the atmosphere and climate then earlier thought.

Researchers at Georgia Tech and NASA found that brown carbon particles from burning trees and brush are more likely than previously thought to make it to the upper levels of the atmosphere.

Once it gets there, it has a big effect on the planetary radiation balance.

They found that, as it makes its way through the clouds, the brown carbon becomes more concentrated compared to black carbon.

The scientists say more research is necessary to better understand the reasons why it happens, the effects, and what can be done about it.

The study appears online in Nature Geoscience.

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