Grand Canyon ‘megafire’ timelapse shows rare fire cloud forming

A time-lapse video shows a fire cloud rolling over the Grand Canyon as a ‘megafire’ continues to rage on across northern Arizona. Footage taken on Thursday (31 July) shows a pyrocumulus cloud, which forms when air over a fire becomes superheated and rises in large, smoky columns, moving over the national park. The rare weather phenomenon can also spread smoke into neighbouring areas, which officials warn can pose a danger if breathed in. The Dragon Bravo fire, which first ignited on 4 July, has become the largest wildfire in the continental US this year, consuming at least 111,000 acres and destroying the historic lodge at the national park. It was upgraded to “megafire” status after it crossed the 100,000-acre threshold.