A fire tornado emerged as a new challenge for first responders battling wildfires in California, which have consumed thousands of acres.
Videos by Suggest
Northern California, Oregon, and certain regions of Canada are currently facing extreme heat and drought conditions. According to Fox Weather, more than 160,000 acres have already been scorched.
The Park Fire, situated northeast of Chico and one of California’s largest wildfires this year, has expanded as a result of a vortex that combines wind, smoke, and flames.
The intense heat and powerful upward wind gusts at the fire’s edge have given rise to these fiery tornadoes, as reported by the publication. Interestingly, fire tornadoes are formed in a manner similar to that of typical tornadoes.
Fire tornadoes have the ability to lift embers from existing fires, sparking new blazes as vortex winds soar beyond 140 miles per hour.
A video circulating on social media captured a massive vortex swirling above the treetops in California, tearing through the sky and devastating everything in its path.
“Two terrifying things at the same time. Scary,” one denizen of X correctly stated upon seeing the footage.
According to reports, a burning car pushed into a gully ignited the massive fire on Wednesday, July 24. As a result of the flames, residents of Butte and Tehama counties were compelled to evacuate their homes. Over 1,100 firefighters are currently engaged in efforts to contain and extinguish the blaze, as reported by Fox Weather.
A Severe Fire Tornado was Captured on Video in 2018
Of course “firenados” have plagued California in the past.
The most formidable fire tornado occurred during the catastrophic Carr Fire that ravaged Northern California in July 2018. As widespread flames engulfed the town of Redding, the intense heat generated a towering pyrocumulus cloud that reached 40,000 feet. This phenomenon triggered supercell-like storm dynamics, ultimately producing a vortex with winds exceeding 140 mph.
A tornado of comparable strength would be classified as an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Meanwhile, there have been no reports of injuries or further damage from the fire tornado associated with the Park Fire. However, officials have stated that the fire has already destroyed “numerous” homes. Over 4,400 residents have evacuated, and more than 1,100 firefighters are actively battling the blaze on the ground.
Investigators have determined that the fire was deliberately set, and a suspect is currently in custody.