Huge Yosemite wildfire has grown so large that it's creating its own weather patterns and is visible from SPACE

Astronaut Karen Nyberg snapped the photo late Saturday and a giant smoke plume is seen clearly from space

Two of three hydroelectric power stations in San Francisco shut down and a state of emergency has been issued for the city

As the smoke column builds up it breaks down and collapses inside of itself, sending downdrafts and gusts that can go in any direction

By early Saturday, the was only 5 percent contained



A wildfire raging out of control in Northern California and threatening the city of San Francisco power supply has grown so large that it's creating its own weather pattern.

The Rim Fire has already scorched some 250 square miles and breached Yosemite National Park. And recently published NASA photos from the International Space Station shows the extent of the inferno that remains just 5 percent contained.

As the fire rages on, it begins to create its own weather events within the blaze, which officials say makes it even harder to predict and contain.



Huge: A NASA astronaut on the International Space Station snapped this photo of the massive smoke plume from California's raging wildfire August 24

'As the smoke column builds up it breaks down and collapses inside of itself, sending downdrafts and gusts that can go in any direction,' CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant told NBC Bay Area . 'There’s a lot of potential for this one to continue to grow.'

Extreme terrain is hampering efforts by firefighters to stop the fire, which has now forced closures to the pristine Yosemite National Park after blacking out 12,000 acres of park land by early Saturday.

NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg tweeted a photo Saturday evening of the Rim Fire as seen from her perch 230 miles above the earth.

From above, the dire situation only appears more grave.

Between billowing clouds an astronaut like Nyberg is accustomed to gazing upon from orbit, Earth is also now sporting a black scar on North America’s West Coast and ominous sooty smoke trailing eastward with prevailing winds.

It is nearly impossible to gauge the size of the plume from Nyberg’s astonishing photos when both the curve of the earth and endless smoke are visible in the same frame.

Devastation: Another snapshot from space shows a wildfire that has already consumed more than 200 square miles, now raging out of control in California's Yosemite National Park

Looking down: Astronaut Karen Nyberg posted the startling fire photo to her Twitter account late August 24. She took the shot from 230 miles above the earth

In another striking NASA photo of the destructive fire, the thick smoke can be clearly seen above much of Yosemite, and the flames themselves are outlined in the satellite shot, all but dwarfing the 55,000 acre Mono Lake nearby.

Wildfires near Yosemite National Park in northern California. August 24. pic.twitter.com/J085aHdb7x — Karen L. Nyberg (@AstroKarenN) August 24, 2013





The blaze tripled in size to 128,000 acres between Thursday and Friday, more than three times the size of San Francisco.

Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for the city, which lies 150 miles away, because of the threat to the city's utilities, with two of three hydroelectric power stations shut down. City water supplies were also threatened.

Scorched: Burned land surrounds a welcome sign near Yosemite National Park August 24. San Francisco's power and water supplies are in danger in addition to the pristine park 150 miles away

Emergency: A cow passes a flare-up of the Rim Fire near the Yosemite National Park border in Groveland, California, August 24. With its utilities under siege, a state of emergency has been issued for San Francisco

Battle: Firefighters continued battling at the front lines of the Rim Fire August 24, which has raged since August 17

Mystery: The cause of the so-called Rim Fire remained under investigation Saturday

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir provides water to 2.6 million customers in the San Francisco area and Brown in his declaration said the city's water supply could be affected if the blaze harms the reservoir.

The reservoir provides about 85 percent of San Francisco's water needs and has not been disrupted by the fire, said Tyrone Jue, spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

San Francisco could draw on water from neighbors if the supply is compromised, he said.

There have been no reports of blackouts in San Francisco, which is drawing on a reserve of power stored for emergencies. It also has spent around $700,000 buying power on the open market after two powerhouses in the path of the fire were shut down.

Firefighters continue to battle at the front lines of the fire, which started August 17.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Huge task: Firefighters are overwhelmed by the extent of the blaze

Dramatic: The sun sets in heavy smoke near Groveland, California, as the fire rages for the fifth day

Intense: The out of control blaze is a threat to 2,500 homes outside the park

Control: A crew member tries to deal with a back fire in Groveland



