Pyrocumulus clouds from wildfire in Fraser Canyon loom high over B.C.

Spectacular, cauliflower-like clouds generated by a distant wildfire have captured attention across Vancouver-area social media feeds. Experts identify these formations as pyrocumulus clouds, a phenomenon created by the intense heat of the Anderson Creek wildfire, located more than 200 kilometers away.

The BC Wildfire Service reported that the Anderson Creek fire was discovered Tuesday and rapidly intensified due to strong winds. Matt Loney, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, noted that the fire appears to have "really took off." Photos shared widely on social media platforms showed the towering cumulus clouds mingling with darker smoke plumes, with some observers as far away as Coquitlam, approximately 220 kilometers from the fire's origin.

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really took off.

Loney explained that pyrocumulus clouds form when sufficient heat generates strong convection currents. Hot air rises rapidly, and as moisture within it condenses, the clouds form. These clouds are laden with particulates from the fire, including burning embers and ash, which are visible to the naked eye. The clouds spread horizontally once they reach an altitude where the air temperature prevents further vertical rise.

The vertical growth of these clouds, rather than horizontal spreading, indicates not only the extreme heat produced by the Boston Bar-area fire but also the instability of the atmosphere. This unusual vertical development made the phenomenon visible from a wide range of locations.

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Basic science tells you that heat rises in the atmosphere, and cold air will sink. The heat wants to go up because that’s trying to seek stability because it’s less dense.