French Wildfire Creates Thunderstorm, Ignites New Fires
A massive wildfire in southwest France has generated a rare weather phenomenon known as a pyrocumulonimbus, or pyroCb, which is a thunderstorm created by the intense heat of the fire itself. This phenomenon has resulted in lightning strikes that have ignited additional fires beyond the original blaze. The fire, which began near Saumos on July 22, has burned over 420 square kilometers of forests and scrubland, destroyed more than 240 homes, and forced the evacuation of 220,000 people in the Gironde region. The pyrocumulonimbus cloud has produced violent winds, further complicating firefighting efforts. 
