Carr Fire tornado

Summary

In the evening hours of July 26, 2018, a large fire tornado formed inside of the Carr Fire. The fire tornado, which had peak wind speeds of 154 miles per hour (248 km/h), killed at least four people and injured six others while on the ground for approximately thirty minutes. The fire tornado was the most powerful in California history and was the deadliest fire tornado to ever form as part of a larger event. In addition, the fire tornado was the second ever to be recorded, after one that occurred in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. The tornado trapped several bulldozer operators in their vehicles, resulting in the death of Jeremy Stoke, 37, a fire inspector who was killed as the fire tornado tracked over him and also killed three other people in a collapsed home. The event is officially listed as a fire whirl by the National Weather Service.