Fire tornadoes, haze, clouds: US blazes create their own weather systems

Bootleg fire is generating enough energy and extreme heat that it's changing the weather', says expert

In southern Oregon, the Bootleg fire has now burned a swath of land larger than the city of Los Angeles. It has forced at least 2,000 residents from their homes and burned 160 houses and buildings. And it's not alone - there are more than 80 fires burning across the United States.

Some of these fires are now so intense and large they can create their own weather systems, including fire tornadoes, clouds and other weird phenomena - including smoky haze that has reached New York City, 3,000 miles from where the fires started. New York City now has some of the world's worst air quality, prompting state officials to issue an alert for residents with underlying health conditions, such as asthma, to avoid the outdoors.