Raging wildfires raging across Southern California are causing destructive weather, including thunderstorms that brought a series of devastating lightning strikes, weather experts said.
The fire near the San Bernardino National Forest grew rapidly over the weekend, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes, while powerful blazes spawned their own mini-weather systems that hindered efforts to contain the blaze.
“The fire itself contributed to generating the thunderstorms,” said Dave Munian, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He told The New York Times.
“We had to halt most of our aerial firefighting efforts yesterday because of lightning.”
This amazing natural phenomenon is called a pyrocumulonimbus, which simply means a fire storm.
The intense heat from the wildfires, which have reportedly burned more than 17,000 acres, can rise into the air and, if it mixes with enough moisture, produce thunderstorms, Munyan told the Times.
Officials said there were reports of more than 1,100 lightning strikes in the area, due to the smoke that formed thunderclouds. CBS News reported.
This small weather system could also generate strong winds that could lead to the spread of the fires.
More than 35,000 homes and buildings were at risk of fire and more than 11,000 people were ordered to evacuate, according to the Times.
Cal Fire said the so-called “Line Fire” was first reported last Thursday in the area of Baseline and Aplin streets, but it quickly grew as vegetation became “extremely dry” and temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
More than 600 firefighters are battling the blaze, but it remains uncontained.
No fatalities have been reported but three firefighters have been injured so far.
The cause of the forest fire is unknown.
With post wire
