How wildfires can trigger weird weather

+ convalescent plasma, the reinfected COVID-19 patient US Edition - Today's top story: Extreme wildfires can create their own dangerous weather, including fire tornadoes – here's how [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 August 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Wildfires continue to burn in the western U.S., with one so powerful that the National Weather Service issued what’s believed to be the first fire tornado warming. Two California scholars explain how [wildfires can create their own dangerous weather](. Also in this week’s science and research news: what you need to know about [convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19]( and a study on how children returning to school [can affect the spread of the coronavirus](. Martin La Monica Deputy Editor Extreme wildfires can fuel tornadoes, creating erratic and dangerous conditions for firefighters. David McNew/Getty Images [Extreme wildfires can create their own dangerous weather, including fire tornadoes – here’s how]( Charles Jones, University of California, Santa Barbara; Leila Carvalho, University of California, Santa Barbara Persistent heat waves and dry lightning are part of the problem. For firefighters, the erratic behavior gets dangerous quickly. A nurse holds plasma donated by a man who recovered from COVID-19. Guillermo Legaria /Getty Images South America [I’m a lung doctor testing the blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors as a treatment for the sick – a century-old idea that could be a fast track to treatment]( Jeffrey M. Sturek, University of Virginia In the blood of COVID-19 survivors are antibodies that can defeat SARS-CoV-2. Researchers are testing whether these antibodies can be collected and injected into others to save them from the virus. Is it possible to get COVID-19 twice? May James/AFP via Getty Images [A man was reinfected with coronavirus after recovery – what does this mean for immunity?]( Megan Culler Freeman, University of Pittsburgh Reports describe a Hong Kong man who was reinfected with the coronavirus after returning from Europe. Does that mean he wasn't immune after the first infection? Other good finds - [What’s in that wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?]( - [Reopening elementary schools carries less COVID-19 risk than high schools – but that doesn’t guarantee safety]( - [Declining antibodies and immunity to COVID-19 – why the worry?]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111