French Wildfire Creates Rare Fire Storm Cloud

A large wildfire near Saumos, in France's Gironde region, produced a rare and dangerous type of cloud. The fire began on July 22 and became so intense that its heat pushed smoke, air and moisture high into the atmosphere.

The result was a pyrocumulonimbus cloud, often called a fire thunderstorm. These clouds can create their own unstable weather, including strong winds and lightning. In this case, lightning from the cloud started additional fires.

The fire burned more than 420 square kilometres of forest and scrubland. Associated Press reported that more than 240 homes were damaged or destroyed and about 220,000 people had to leave the area.

For firefighters, a fire storm cloud makes an already difficult situation less predictable. When the fire becomes too powerful to attack safely, crews may focus on protecting communities. Scientists say these clouds are rare and usually form only during the most intense wildfires.