- Le Monde, very reputed French newspaper (NYtimes equivalent for France perhaps) says that it’s not the first time this cloud is seen in France [1]: (translation mine)
> “What is happening right now is extremely, extremely unusual. Seeing a cloud this massive and reaching such an altitude above a wildfire is exceptionally rare,” the researcher explains.
“During the Pedrógão fire [which claimed around 60 lives in Portugal in 2017], there were two episodes of fire-induced thunderstorms. Here, we are already at eight or ten, and the forecast is not encouraging at all.”
Although unprecedented in both intensity and frequency, the phenomenon has been observed in France before, according to the expert: during the Fontainebleau wildfire (Seine-et-Marne) in July, the Ribaute fire (Aude) in 2025, and the Générac fire (Gard) in 2019.
It seems that this cloud and the attached storms have been seen before, even recently, in France, but this one is one of a kind for intensity, by far.
[1] https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/07/27/le-pyrocum...
- For context on why this region is burning so easily: the Landes and Médoc are huge, artificial pine forests created in the 19th century under Napoleon III to drain and reclaim what was considered an inhospitable wetland, where shepherds famously walked around on stilts. Pine resin and needle litter makes it exceptionally flammable, and being an uninterrupted monoculture on flat land it lacks natural barriers to stop the fire from advancing.
- The situation in Bordeaux right now feels close to apocalyptic. I left yesterday. Two hundred thousand people are evacuated, hundreds of homes destroyed, and the fire about 10 miles from the edge of the city.
- Just an aside: I'm a researcher trying to classify forest disturbance types from satellite imagery.
The Landes Forest which is currently burning is really interesting in that you have all 4 of the major European disturbance types there: Human clear cuts, storm damage, large scale insect infestation and fire.
Most other forested areas in Europe only have two or three of these. For example most of the Mediterranean does not have meaningful amount of storm damage.
Just shows how badly suited the Landes Forest with its current forest management is in todays climate.
- Just had the same here in Washington state for the Little Giant fire. Great image in the article. We had another fire cloud behind Rainier the other day, and saw it from the Rount Mainier farm - it really looked like the volcano was smoking up and ready to top-off. <clench>
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/little...
- Pedantic cloud enjoyer here, the article should name this a pyrocumulus not pyrocumulonimbus - the nimbus part means 'rain-bearing' in meteorology, fire clouds don't rain.
- We get these in the Australian bushfire season, the weather systems they create can flip a 10 tonne fire appliance.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/dec/31/volun...
by senderista
7 subcomments
- I will be surprised if the climate crisis doesn’t eventually escalate to the point where basically everyone agrees that geoengineering of some kind is worth the risk.
by cineticdaffodil
5 subcomments
- So, if you used climate credits, to build up those forrests. Do they get nil and void, if those forrests burn up?
- Spain is also completely on fire - there's a website that collects all official information and locates every fire on a map:
https://xn--incendiosespaa-2nb.es/ (in Spanish)
It is disheartening to see how everything is basically in red.
- 67 comments. One mention of “climate crisis” (appropriate), 3 of “climate credits”.
No one here is really discussing “climate change”.
Is it denial, or just that we’ve accepted the obvious?
- There's a good chance that conflagrations during WWII generated such clouds. There are well established incidents of such in Germany (and Japan) (ref: https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/91/9/2010bam... , Hamburg, Dresden, etc) but nothing for certain in France. The British attacks on Royan which destroyed 85% of it with high explosive and napalam would be the most likely site.
- [flagged]
by tcp_handshaker
2 subcomments
- If you the are in the area and hesitating to evacuate, or if you want to realize what terrible phenomenon you are you facing. Watch this great documentary about the tragedy that unfolded in Portugal a few years ago. Leave now.
"Witness to Disaster | National Geographic" - https://youtu.be/clTeqIpGBeU
https://youtu.be/clTeqIpGBeU?t=1734
by ratsimihah
0 subcomment
- > This smoke cloud generates its own weather system
Fascinating, we’ve got sentient clouds before sentient AI
- Lets have a resume:
Biggest wildfire in the history of Spain: 2026
Biggest wildfire in the modern history of Norway: 2026
Biggest wildfire in Austria: 2026
Biggest wildfire in Germany: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Denmark: 2025
Biggest wildfire in UK: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Montenegro: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Serbia: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Albania: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Bulgaria: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Malta: 2025
Biggest wildfire in Ukraine: 2024
Biggest wildfire in USA: 2024
Biggest wildfire in Greece: 2023
Biggest wildfire in Switzerland: 2023
Biggest wildfire in Czechia: 2022
Biggest wildfire in Slovenia: 2022
Biggest wildfire in Italy: 2021
Biggest wildfire in Turkey: 2021
Biggest wildfire in Poland: 2020
Biggest wildfire in Ireland: 2020
Plus some special honorary mentions for some of the largest wildfires in:
- France: 2026
- Lithuania: 2026,
- Estonia: 2026.
- Cyprus: 2025
Almost every European country and USA suffered the biggest wildfires in their whole history in the same period as the Ukraine war. France still can sing bingo. Almost there.
Hungary on the other hand, suffered their biggest wildfire in 2012. One hurrah for Hungary. And Croatia in 2017, congratulations. I wonder what is different to the other countries here. They must clean their forests really good.
by madhu_ghalame
0 subcomment
- This is a reminder that wildfires are becoming more unpredictable than ever.
by moralestapia
0 subcomment
- >it is a war-like scenario where we are under constant bombardment and must get everyone to safety
Thank you for your service everyone, these are real life heroes like the ones you see on Star Wars movies but real.
by ButlerianJihad
1 subcomments
- Google Maps provides overlays for wildfires and air quality. I can watch Western Europe from here.
- That's remember me of https://www.france24.com/en/20190824-macron-france-brazil-bo...
- In other news, July 23 has recorded the busiest flight day ever with over 150k flights: https://simpleflying.com/over-150000-flights-airlines-busies...
by holografix
0 subcomment
- “Australia enters the chat”
- fire force
by rich_sasha
1 subcomments
- [flagged]
- [flagged]
by vouaobrasil
5 subcomments
- [flagged]
- One of the biggest lies is that these events will only happen (or will happen first) to the "global south" and only affect the "other peoples".
Unfortunately for us, the Earth has no preferences and doesn't run on our schedule.
by hncsiocp9x
0 subcomment
- Practical and honest, love it
- I hope I'm not the only one who wanted to check PyPi to see what package is this... '-.-
by chewbacha
3 subcomments
- I’m sure if we build a few more AI data centers the world will cool down and we’ll stop having all these fires.
Just a few more GPUs ought to fix it.
by TurdF3rguson
0 subcomment
- It reminds me of that French fire-fighter who threw caution to the wind in rescuing me and my precious cat Lulu from our flat when it was engulfed in flames. He sadly perished in that fire but I will never forget him.
I can't recall his name but I think he had a mustache.
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