This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
First of all, you might be wondering what a fire rainbow is, aside from a concept you might find in a fantasy novel. Fire rainbows are real, and they're radical. Check out this one, photo snapped by Derrick Blake, a graphic designer in Salt Lake City:
Really happened -> "@derrickSLC: A fire rainbow sits in the afternoon sky above Salt Lake City. #slc" pic.twitter.com/qJ9sUy4X7E
Derrick Blake (@derrickSLC) June 4, 2014A fire rainbow is a rare cloud phenomenon that only happens during the summer, when the sun is very high in the sky, said Monica Traphagan, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City. The sunlight goes through the ice crystals in the cirrus clouds and creates what looks to us like a rainbow, Traphagan said.
Normally, you would see the rainbow form a halo but because the cirrus clouds were sparse over the valley, and the sun needs them as a sort of "canvas," the rainbow effect only showed up in a patch.
Another photo of the "fire rainbow," courtesy of Dina Freedman. #utwx pic.twitter.com/F9VeiIbt1R
NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) June 4, 2014Nature is ready for Utah Pride weekend in Salt Lake. pic.twitter.com/xJ5TkNw54D
Derrick Blake (@derrickSLC) June 4, 2014