Wildfires: The ominous 'fire clouds' or 'pyrocumulonimbus' seen in France for the first time

Firefighters battling devastating fires in France have had to contend with a new threat: immense fire clouds that create their own wind and even lightning that can spark fresh blazes. Known as "fire clouds" or pyrocumulonimbus clouds, these ominous-looking thunderstorms are created by extreme wildfires and can exacerbate already extremely dangerous conditions. Read moreLive: Macron to visit fire-ravaged southwest France as new heatwave due in Europe This phenomenon, which is new to France, is yet another consequence of human-caused climate change, according to French researcher Jean-Baptiste Filippi, who studies wildfires. As firefighters in southwest France struggle to bring a forest inferno under control before yet another heatwave descends on the country, Filippi told AFP about the phenomenon. A pyrocumulonimbus, a giant cloud created by a large wildfire is seen in the Fontainebleau forest region, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Paris, France, Monday, July 13, 2026. AP Photo/Emma Da Silva - Emma Da Silva What is a fire cloud? Filippi: It is a storm where a column of air forms above a fire. It starts off as a cute little white cloud – a cumulus cloud, which is formed beca...