French firefighters face 'pyrocumulonimbus' for first time
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A pyrocumulonimbus fire cloud, unprecedented in France, is generating its own weather near Bordeaux.
A pyrocumulonimbus, or fire cloud, has formed over a wildfire in Gironde, France, for the first time. The cloud generates its own winds and lightning, making the fire unpredictable and uncontainable. Lieutenant Colonel Eric Brocardi of the FNSPF describes the situation as an 'operational impossibility' requiring strategic retreat. Salvation could come from heavy rain or steering the fire toward the sea. The fire has destroyed hundreds of homes and forced 200,000 people to evacuate.
What commenters are saying
Commenters describe the situation as apocalyptic, with heavy smoke in Bordeaux and embers igniting fires 150 km away. One who evacuated reported the airport still operating amid smoke. A debate arises over carbon credits: critics argue they are an accounting trick and that burned forests negate their value. Others suggest credits should be adjusted for fire risk. A historical note mentions WWII firestorms in Germany and Japan as possible precedents.