You Can Mark ‘Fire Tornado’ Off Your 2020 Apocalypse Bingo Card

The National Weather Service issued its first-ever tornado warning for a twister spawned by fire early Saturday afternoon after a wildfire in Northern California produced a towering, flaming vortex. While not unheard of, fire tornadoes are some of the rarest weather phenomena on Earth, and meteorologists are saying this is the first time one’s received an official tornado warning.

The NWS Reno office issued a warning for residents in Lassen County, California shortly after 6 p.m. ET on Saturday after a pyrocumulonimbus cloud “capable of producing a fire induced tornado” emerged from a wildfire in nearby Loyalton. Officials also cautioned people to stay clear of the eastern Sierra Valley and issued evacuation orders to several of the surrounding communities.

Onlookers shared footage of the blazing vortex online, and it is nothing short of terrifying. The images looks like something more at home in a blockbuster disaster flick than a newsreel. In the image of the reported scene on the ground shared below, the towering cloud kicked up by the Loyalton Fire dyes the sunlight orange while obscuring the mountains. The outlines of the firenado rising over the landscape are clear, though, amid the chaos. Other images shared on Twitter appear to confirm the tornado on the ground, swirling and sucking smoke up into the sky.

You Can Mark ‘Fire Tornado’ Off Your 2020 Apocalypse Bingo Card

There have only been a few firenados caught on film. The 2018 Carr Fire, one of California’s largest and most destructive fires, caused a 143 mph fire tornado. These rare events are still a bit of a mystery.

The fire that produced the firenado (The Loyalton Fire) started Friday and has not been contained yet. Reports have it larger than 2,000 acres and growing.

The fires in California are starting early. The Santa Ana winds aren't even blowing in Southern California yet.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I've seen them when they used to burn sugar cane fields (when sugar was still an industry here). I saw them in the Willamette valley when they burned grass fields in the summer. Do they still do that?

Physics are cool.

a reply to: Phage

I think what you saw was a fire dust-devil. Big difference. Was an official warning issued?

a reply to: LookingAtMars

I think what you saw was a fire dust-devil. Big difference.

Not really. Pyrocumulus is pyrocumulus. Big updraft + converging winds = twister. Just like a dust devil. Physics.

A pyrocumulus cloud forms from rising air that results from intense heating of the surface by phenomena such as wildfires or volcanic eruptions. The fires that generate these clouds can be man-made or natural. A big fire produces strong upward moving air currents that carry water vapor and ash upward.

wxguys.ssec.wisc.edu...

a reply to: Phage

Could the ones you saw knock trees over and start new fires?

Like I said big difference.

ETA - But still very cool to see I bet.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Could the ones you saw knock trees over and start new fires?

Yes. Had there been any trees they certainly would have been knocked over.

Since there was very much burning stuff being carried upward, yes, they started new fires. But that wasn't a problem because the point of starting the fires in the first place was to burn the fields.

Fire "tornadoes" are not new. But more wildfires could well result in more of them.

a reply to: Phage

Did you get any pics?

You know the saying.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

You posted videos already.

a reply to: Phage

Going to go dream about firenados chasing me around sugar canes fields in Hawaii.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

That doesn't happen anymore. No more sugar cane.

I think they should replant the fields with hemp, personally.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: LookingAtMars

That doesn't happen anymore. No more sugar cane.

I think they should replant the fields with hemp, personally.

Bourbon and Hemp, I'm going to call you Fire Tornado from now on.

a reply to: Vector99

Not much corn grown here either. That which is, doesn't make whiskey.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Vector99

Not much corn grown here either. That which is, doesn't make whiskey.

It's Hawaii, I wouldn't grow corn either.

a reply to: Vector99

I just harvested a bunch of bananas.
20, 30 pounds and there's another bunch on the way in a week or two.

Want some banana bread? Smoothies? A lot of smoothies?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Vector99

I just harvested a bunch of bananas.
20, 30 pounds and there's another bunch

This made me immediately think of this

Want some banana bread? Smoothies? A lot of smoothies?

Only the spiked versions please sir!

a reply to: Vector99

Who is that Dale guy that Harry sings about.

Dale!
Dale, Oh!

Fire tornado's are scary.

When it starts raining frogs, I will go back to Tequila shots with lemon and salt.

Then, bring on the frog tornadoes!

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Vector99

Who is that Dale guy that Harry sings about.

Dale!
Dale, Oh!

DALE Oh
DAAALLLEE OH
DALE MIGHT COME AND HE BRING BANANAS HOME

Your welcome, you can never un-hear that.

Oh my gosh! That is insane! I don't know how they will do it, 3 words, Sharknado Fire Tornado. Coming soon to a TV near you.

In Reno here. That fire is massive enough to alter whether here.

Smoke is choking us out.