Convective clouds forming over or near large wildfires, sometimes referred to as "Pyro-cumulonimbi", or "PyroCbs," have only recently begun to receive attention in the literature. PyroCbs form in a conditionally unstable environment which is often too stable to support "regular" convection. Aerosols from the fires are lofted by the storm's updraft and can easily be sent into the lower stratosphere, where they may persist for days due to the strong static stability. Although smaller in magnitude, these
lower stratospheric aerosols may have effects similar to ash following large volcanic eruptions. In addition, particles from the fires may serve as CCN and significantly alter the clouds' microphysics, leading to very small anvil ice crystals and lengthened cloud lifetimes. This aerosol indirect effect, along with the direct effect of the lower stratospheric aerosols, may have climatic implications.