Giant Smoke Cloud from Vila Real Wildfire Visible for Kilometers - A Natural Phenomenon Unfolds

A massive smoke cloud, known as a Pyrocumulus, caused by a wildfire in Vila Real, was visible hundreds of kilometers away this Saturday.

This natural phenomenon occurs under conditions of atmospheric instability, triggered by a heat source or volcanic eruption. In this instance, it was the result of a fire that started in Vila Real and spread to the Sabrosa municipality.

By 10:24 PM, 304 operational personnel supported by 96 vehicles were on the scene battling the blaze.

Images of the striking natural event were shared on the Facebook page Meteo Trás os Montes-Portugal. Reports indicate the cloud was seen as far as Figueira da Foz, over 200km from the fire's origin, with some photos even captured from inside an airplane.