US: Hog fire in California prompt mandatory evacuations

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.

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.

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.

A CalFire aircraft drops fire retardant over the Hog fire, about 5 miles from Susanville, California.

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.

Firefighters look on as a thunderstorm cell draws in a smoke column from the Hog fire near Susanville, California.

Firefighters move away from impending flames as the Hog fire jumps highway 36 about 5 miles from Susanville, California.

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.

Firefighters mop up hot spots from the Hog fire along highway 36 about 5 miles from Susanville, California.

Firefighters look on as a smoke column from the Hog fire collides with a thunderstorm cell near Susanville, California.