NYT
Heat From France’s Wildfires Creates a ‘Fire Cloud,’ or Pyrocumulonimbus
Monday, July 27, 2026
Intense heat from wildfires in France has created a pyrocumulonimbus, a thundercloud formed by extreme temperatures from fires. French officials stated the phenomenon is occurring in France for the first time. Pyrocumulonimbus clouds can generate lightning and spark new fires in surrounding areas.
