Smoke screen and nuclear flash

[100SRV]

I was reading about Upper Heyford on this website https://www.raf-upper-heyford.org/
when the subject of chemical teams whose job was to lay smokescreens jumped out at me.

Besides the obvious visual obscuration it mentions that they smoke would be used to protect assets against nuclear flash...

I'd have thought that if you could see the flash that was the least of your worries!

[Eric Mc]

The flash from a nuclear detonation can cause damage outside of the distance affected by the actual blast / shock wave or initial radiation.

[100SRV]

Eric Mc said:

The flash from a nuclear detonation can cause damage outside of the distance affected by the actual blast / shock wave or initial radiation.

Makes sense, especially as it travels at the speed of light 😂