The massive wildfire burning near the Grand Canyon has been so intense at times that it created its own weather.
The Dragon Bravo Fire — which has scorched more than 130,000 acres in Arizona north of the Grand Canyon — has become so hot that it spurred pyrocumulus clouds, or “fire clouds” at points. The fire-driven clouds can form when the heat and smoke from a very large wildfire is released into the atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Pyrocumulus clouds are similar to the cumulus clouds that can been seen on a fair-weather day; however, instead of rising due to heat from the sun-warmed ground, the air is lifted by intense heat from a fire, causing it to cool and condense water vapor, forming a new cloud.
The formation of pyrocumulus clouds and a wildfire’s ability to generate its own weather also depend on the broader weather pattern affecting the region.
At times, these clouds can grow so large that they generate their own intense, erratic winds and even produce lightning. The most intense are called pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which are similar to a thunderstorm in structure and potential weather impacts.
Even when pyrocumulus clouds don’t form, the intense heat from a massive wildfire can still create locally strong, gusty winds in the area.
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The Dragon Bravo Fire broke out on July 4 as a result of a lightning strike and was driven by inaccessible terrain and winds, according to Grand Canyon National Park. Since then, it has grown to a “megafire,” defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that burns more than 100,000 acres.
It is about 13% contained, and more than 1,300 personnel are battling the blaze, according to Inciweb, an interagency risk incident information platform.
Critical fire weather returned to the region on Sunday due to a drop in humidity, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
The mayor of Fredonia, Arizona, declared a local emergency on Monday due to the ongoing wildfire disaster.
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The fire destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge, a National Historic Landmark and the only in-park lodging option in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, according to NPS. The lodge first opened in 1937.
Dozens of structures have been destroyed by the fire, including the North Rim Visitor Center and several guest cabins, according to NPS. The local watershed has also been impacted.
An “aggressive full suppression strategy” is being deployed to manage the fire, according to NPS. Crews will continue to hold and reinforce lines around the perimeter of the fire, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has called for a federal investigation into the management of the fire.
The North Rim of the park closed for the 2025 season as a result of the damage and losses from the fire.
Several other wildfires are currently burning in Arizona, including the Kirkland Fire near Prescott, the Billy Fire near Young and the White Sage Fire, southeast of Fredonia.
ABC News’ Charlotte Slovin contributed to this report.
