French wildfire created a monster cloud, unleashing lightning that ignited more fires
A wildfire near Saumos, France created a pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) that generated lightning, igniting new fires beyond the original blaze.
The cloud produced violent, erratic winds that drove flames in unpredictable directions, marking the first recorded pyroCb in France.
The fire burned over 420 square kilometers, damaged or destroyed more than 240 homes, and forced 220,000 people to evacuate in Gironde.
Intense heat and smoke rose into a thundercloud where water vapor condensed on ash, leading to lightning and a feedback loop that amplified the fire.
Scientists study these extreme fire events and their connection to climate change, noting pyroCbs are rare in Europe but more common in North America and Australia.
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