Dragon Bravo Fire Near Grand Canyon Grows into 'Megafire' and Even Creates Its Own Weather
A wildfire burning near the Grand Canyon has grown into what experts call a "megafire"
The Dragon Bravo fire began following a lightning strike near the North Rim on July 4, fire officials said
The fire was burning across more than 116,000 acres of land and was only 12% contained as of Aug. 4A wildfire burning near the Grand Canyon has grown into what experts call a 'megafire,' and it has even developed its own weather.
The Dragon Bravo fire has been burning for a month near the Grand Canyon's North Rim after it was sparked by lightning on July 4, according to a news release from the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team.
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As of Monday, Aug. 4, the blaze is burning across more than 116,00 acres of land and is only 12% contained, according to data shared via InciWeb.
The wildfire has quickly morphed into what experts call a 'megafire,' which the U.S. Interagency Fire Center describes as 'a wildfire that burns more than 40,500 hectares (100,000 acres) of land.'
The Dragon Bravo fire is now one of the 10 largest wildfires in Arizona's history, according to CBS affiliate KPHO-TV.
The blaze has even sparked the formation of pyrocumulus clouds, which have been sitting over the blaze for at least seven straight days, the Associated Press and CBS News reported.
Pyrocumulus clouds, otherwise known as flammagenitus or 'fire clouds,' develop due to 'convection initiated by heat from forest fires, wildfires or volcanic eruption activity,' according to the World Meteorological Organization.
The Dragon Bravo fire has become intense enough to create its own weather, according to CNN and the AP. The pyrocumulus clouds associated with the blaze have made it more difficult for firefighters to battle the flames.
'If they get high enough, they can also create downdrafts, and that's something we really watch out for because that can quickly spread the fire and can be very dangerous for firefighters who are doing their work on the ground,' said fire information officer Lisa Jennings, per the AP.
More than 1,100 fire personnel are working to extinguish the Dragon Bravo fire, according to the news release published on Saturday, Aug. 2, by the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team.
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Critical fire weather returned to the area over the weekend after a burst of humidity on Friday, Aug. 1, fire officials said. Before that, the area impacted by the Dragon Bravo fire saw eight straight days of historically dry conditions, according to the AP.
Additionally, fire officials said that "no precipitation is expected until the middle of next week.'
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