Anderson Creek wildfire creates pyrocumulus clouds visible across BC

The Anderson Creek fire in British Columbia was first detected by aircraft responding to nearby blazes and quickly expanded as strong winds fanned the flames. The intense heat generated towering pyrocumulus clouds that were photographed from Coquitlam, roughly 220 km away, and other locations across the Vancouver region. Environment Canada meteorologist Matt Loney explained that the clouds form when hot air rises rapidly, condensing moisture and carrying ash, embers and dust aloft. Their vertical development, rather than spreading horizontally, signaled pronounced atmospheric instability, making the phenomenon visible from many directions.

These images circulated widely on social media, highlighting the fire’s intensity and the unusual cloud formation.