The immense heat it releases changes the surrounding air and can alter the weather over the fire itself, essentially creating its own weather. According to Biener, some experts also point out that if a major wildfire coincides with a band of light rainfall, heat bursts may develop. For this reason, major wildfires are no longer assessed solely by the area they burn. According to Copernicus, more than 87,000 hectares have been affected by major wildfires in Spain. Samuel Biener notes that there is no evidence that weather patterns change permanently after a major wildfire, although localized changes related to the loss of forest cover may occur.