1 of 10
Sheriff officers watch as flames from the Hog fire approach highway 36 about 5 miles from Susanville, California. The fire exploded to more than 6,000 acres and created its own weather, generating lightning, thunder, rain and fire whirls out of a huge pyrocumulonimbus ash plume towering above.
Image Credit: AFP
2 of 10
A log keeps burning as hail falls directly on the Hog fire near Susanville, California. A thunderstorm cell mixed with a pyrocumulus ash column from the Hog fire, bringing with it erratic winds and lightning before evolving into a hail storm that extinguished a portion of the fire.
Image Credit: AFP
3 of 10
Smoke from the Hog Fire is seen from Highway 36 west of Susanville, California. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for the Hog Fire which has grown to 9 square miles (23 square kilometers) in Lassen County. Cal Fire says about 170 structures are threatened.
Image Credit: AP
4 of 10
A CalFire aircraft drops fire retardant over the Hog fire, about 5 miles from Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP
5 of 10
A collection of hail pellets are displayed as firefighters wait in their vehicles during a hail storm that falls on the Hog fire near Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP
6 of 10
Firefighters look on as a thunderstorm cell draws in a smoke column from the Hog fire near Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP
7 of 10
Firefighters move away from impending flames as the Hog fire jumps highway 36 about 5 miles from Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP
8 of 10
Firefighters wait in their vehicles as hail falls on the Hog fire near Susanville, California. A thunderstorm cell mixed with a pyrocumulus ash column from the Hog fire, bringing with it erratic winds and lightning before evolving into a hail storm that extinguished a portion of the fire.
Image Credit: AFP
9 of 10
Firefighters mop up hot spots from the Hog fire along highway 36 about 5 miles from Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP
10 of 10
Firefighters look on as a smoke column from the Hog fire collides with a thunderstorm cell near Susanville, California.
Image Credit: AFP