The out-of-control wildfire in Alberta, Canada, that's threatening thousands of homes and caused 88,000 residents to evacuate is so intense it has created its own weather system.
Brian Proctor, a warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment Canada, told CBC News that firestorms alter weather patterns, funnel smoke and particulates into the stratosphere, and produce lightning. "They tend to promote their own kind of conditions," he said. "That's why you'll see the winds near fires ... that are significantly stronger than the surrounding atmosphere." The smoke and heat from a fire can cause storm clouds to form that are typically larger and darker than regular thunderstorm clouds. Proctor says that when there is turbulence in the atmosphere, lightning strikes can occur, but no rain. This can then lead to more fires, and because these storm clouds don't move on like regular weather systems, the firestorm remains stagnant. "It's almost a self-perpetuating situation," he said.
The fire in Fort McMurray now covers 85,000 hectares, about 10 times the size of Manhattan. The plume is visible from space, and there is concern that the flames will reach oil-sands nearby. More than 350 firefighters are on the scene, and they are beginning to make some progress.
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