Apart from the global health crisis, the state of California has been witnessing severe wildfires this year. Recently, the wildfire near Loyalton in Lassen County caused an additional unique phenomenon called a ‘fire tornado’ due to an extreme heatwave. The wildfire, which has charred almost 20,000 acres of land so far, was started by lightning, reports the Washington Post.
Breaking: A video shows the #LakeFire in Southern California spawning a fire tornado. The fire is now over 10,000 acres and has forced nearly 500 homes to be evacuated. pic.twitter.com/xPxGQ1BFhT
— PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) August 13, 2020
According to the Indian Express, a warning was issued by a local weather station saying that the clouds from the wildfire were “capable of producing a fire included tornado and outflow of winds in excess of 60 mph.” Eventually, people in California witnessed the rare and fiery tornado or as meteorologists call it a firenado (short for fire tornado).
The "fire tornado warning" on Saturday is believed to be first ever issued. Five fire tornadoes may have formed.
“It was an extraordinary event,” said Nick Nausler, a fire weather forecaster with NOAA.
https://t.co/T2yPcP85FVPhoto courtesy @v3katelynn and @nevada_traveler
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 16, 2020
It’s so unusual, it’s a little difficult to wrap our heads around. Of course, the towering clouds created by fires, we’ve all seen that. But the tornadic feature or multiple fire whirls, that’s just incredible.”
View of a pryocumulus north of Reno this afternoon… taken from a jet at an altitude of 40,000 feet. Photo from Leah Rowlands. pic.twitter.com/FC5pYQA4G8
— James Spann (@spann) August 16, 2020
Several people shared images and videos of the ‘firenadoes’:
A rarely photographed fire tornado was spotted in Lassen County, California, amid massive wildfire burning so hot that it generated its own thunderstorm. https://t.co/EzPZTmc4tQ pic.twitter.com/Ws2V8ZitnC
— ABC News (@ABC) August 17, 2020
A fire tornado in California because it wouldn’t be 2020 without one pic.twitter.com/5HbJVsugVm
— Natasha Del Riego (@ndelriego) August 16, 2020
The first ‘Fire Tornado’ to set off the “fire tornado” warning in history. Incident occurred today in Northen California. #LoyaltonFIRE pic.twitter.com/ISSzR5mVa2
— SV News 🚨 (@SVNewsAlerts) August 16, 2020
Close up video of a massive “fire tornado” in Northern #California today pic.twitter.com/qzNEmuml6G
— SV News 🚨 (@SVNewsAlerts) August 16, 2020
Meanwhile in Northern California! 90+ Degree Heat, Fire Tornado and now Lightning and Thunder 😳
.#ClimateCrisis#FaceTheClimateEmergency pic.twitter.com/2iOKHVmC9C— 👴🏻👩🏽💼Interracial Biden/Harris 2020 Stan (@Nico_saufenberg) August 16, 2020
Fire tornado activity due to the #LoyaltonFIRE in #California
📷: @Nousernamelefts pic.twitter.com/VEYlmLFp2u
— SV News 🚨 (@SVNewsAlerts) August 16, 2020
With more than a dozen wildfires across California, firefighters are battling scorching heatwaves to douse the fires. The sudden thunderstorms have only made the situation worse for them. We hope things come under control soon for the state of California.