That's called a pyrocumulonimbus cloud. In Thursday's case, that cloud resembling a thunderstorm could be seen both from the air and from a satellite. T here are several ways a fire tornado can form.

With the wildfires continuing to burn in California, you may have seen claims that wildfires can create their own weather. It ...

Like normal cumulonimbus clouds, pyrocumulonimbus can create severe weather, including tornadoes. Regardless of the formation process, fire tornadoes can bring significant impacts, including the ...

These ‘pyrocumulonimbus’ clouds are towering formations formed by the updraft from incredibly intense fires comparable to volcanic eruptions, which also cause the phenomenon. Something like a ...