Most phenomena are caused by something, and cause other things. Something starts them, something else stops them. They get more so or less so, go faster or slower. So why not say so? Writers are very fond of using fuel, spark, spawn, stoke, ignite and trigger when they mean cause or start (they're particularly fond of triggering floods). They probably think it makes what they’re writing about sound more exciting, but if you always write “spark” when you mean “cause” it soon loses any idea of a stray spark setting a haystack on fire and you might as well use:

elicit
enable
evoke
exacerbate
facilitate
generate
give rise to
impel
incite
increase
instigate
lead to
lessen
magnify 
make possible
motivate
power
promote
prompt
provoke
result from
result in
start
stop
worsen

More cliches here and here.