Many of the earth’s coal beds were laid down during the Missippian and Pennsylvanian periods which preceeded the Permian by many millions of years. The Gread Dying was at the end of the Permian and followed by the Triassic.
My hypothesis is that a giant meteor/asteroid struck in Siberia, driving down into a magma pool and setting off the formation of the Siberian Trapps, could also have set fire to coal beds. Now, everybody happy?? At any rate, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Catastrophism pingees and special thanks to SC for all your hard work.
And don’t forget, the subsequent earthquakes caused the methane hydrates and clathrates to emerge from the seabed and ignite. ;’)
Merry Christmas, gleeaikin, and thanks for the kind remarks!