Can Solar Storms Cause Wildfires?

astroengine writes "In the wake of recent solar activity, some space cadets were very quick to point out a causal link between geomagnetic storms and the wildfires currently ravaging the landscape surrounding Moscow. Of course, this is patently false. But is there a scenario when the onset of a solar storm could have secondary effects, sparking fires in already arid regions? Possibly. What's more, it already happened, 150 years ago."

Comments

Power lines.

[TapeCutter]

Here in Oz power lines are a major cause of bushfires without any help from solar flares.

Re:Does not compute

[Farmer Tim]

Explanation for the hard of comprehending:

this is patently false

The current wildfires in Russia were not caused by solar storms.

Possibly

There is a scenario where solar storms could potentially start fires.

it already happened

The scenario has occurred, but didn't result in fires that time.

Re:Declare war on the Sun!

[CrazyJim1]

Super man already tried and failed to destroy the sun with atomic weapons.

Re:Does not compute

[Iron Condor]

The scenario has occurred, but didn't result in fires that time.

Except that this statement is false. There's newspaper reports from all over he US from the latter parts of 1859 of wildfires happening all over the place. Because the US had just covered itself in this really neat continent-sized antenna (the telegraph network) which was throwing sparks all over the place (feel free to peruse the references in this paper).