Wildfires in Canada create their own weather, smoke could reach Minnesota
Wildfire smoke over downtown Minneapolis last summer. (FOX 9)
(FOX 9) - Wildfires in Canada created their own weather on Saturday afternoon, with possible smoke reaching Minnesota later this week.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), images from satellites showed a type of "wildfire-induced" cloud called pyrocumulonimbus across northeastern British Columbia on Saturday. Pyrocumulonimbus clouds can change local weather like wind, and can produce lighting, leading to possible new fires being ignited.
Warm and windy conditions made wildfires grow, contributing to this weather, MPCA said.
MPCA says favorable fire weather conditions are in the forecast for that area of Canada this week, which could lead to wildfire smoke impacting Minnesota later this week or weekend.