When a waterfall turns fiery

It is that time of the year again when visitors flock to the Yosemite National Park in California to see the famous Horsetail Fall - the waterfall that looks like lava flowing down the side of the El Capitan rock formation.

This rare phenomenon happens only for a short time in February - if the conditions are perfect - when the rays of the setting sun hit the waterfall at just the right angle, illuminating the water in brilliant red and orange.

The "firefall" phenomenon is one of the Yosemite National Park's most amazing spectacles, drawing hundreds of spectators at this time of the year.

The firefall lasts for only a few minutes at sunset.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 17, 2017, with the headline When a waterfall turns fiery. Subscribe