Carr Fire tornado
The tornado at around its peak intensity near Redding, California. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 26, 2018, ~7:30 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Dissipated | July 26, 2018, 8:00 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Duration | ~30 minutes |
| EF3-equivalent tornado | |
| Highest winds | 143 mph (230 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Injuries | 6 |
| Areas affected | Redding, California |
Part of the Carr Fire and Tornadoes of 2018 | |
In the evening hours of July 26, 2018, a large fire tornado formed inside of the Carr Fire.[1] The fire tornado, which had peak wind speeds of 143 miles per hour (230 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.[2]
Background
The Carr Fire was reported on the afternoon of July 23, 2018, at the intersection of SR 299 and Carr Powerhouse Road, in the Whiskeytown district of the Whiskeytown–Shasta–Trinity National Recreation Area, in Shasta County, California, near French Gulch. The fire was believed to have been started accidentally by a vehicle towing a dual-axle travel trailer. One of the tires on the trailer blew out, causing the steel rim to scrape along the pavement, generating sparks that ignited dry vegetation along the edge of the highway. Wind caused the fire to spread quickly.[3][4] Hot conditions and steep, inaccessible terrain presented challenges for fire crews as they strengthened containment lines. SR 299 was closed, and French Gulch was placed under mandatory evacuation.[5]
Tornado summary
Between 8:24 and 8:36 CST, a tornado vortex signature was monitored on radar. The fire whirl developed within the Carr Fire in Redding, California. The fire tornado was first seen developing north of Land Park, and began to fill the sky with embers as it rapidly intensified.[6] Several firefighters who were caught in the tornado ran and took refuge on Sutro Mine Road as the tornado passed over.[6] Shortly after touching down, the tornado impacted a group of bulldozers that were sitting on Buenaventura Boulevard; every dozer and another car were burnt out and were rendered destroyed as a result.[6] A driver of a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) truck would say that as the tornado moved past his location, every windshield in the vehicle shattered and the truck was battered with large rocks and other debris carried by the fire tornado.[6] A person who was attempting to enter another pickup truck nearby sustained severe burns as a result of the heat.[6]
Remaining on the ground from 7:30–8:00 p.m., the fire whirl reached an estimated height of 18,000 ft (5,500 m) and caused extensive tornado-like damage while spreading the fire. The winds toppled transmission towers, shredded foliage, and debarked and uprooted trees. The smoke plume from the whirl dominated the site of the wildfire. Substantial damage occurred in areas untouched by fire, including signs of ground scouring.[7] Three people were reportedly killed inside their Redding home after the structure's walls were blown out and the roof collapsed on the occupants. Several other homes suffered significant roof damage.[8] The heat of winds and debris within the fire tornado was estimated to be up to 2,700 °F (1,480 °C). It was reported that several firefighters were caught off guard as the tornado rapidly widened to 300 yards (270 m).[9]
Aftermath
Damage
The tornado heavily damaged several structures in the city of Redding, including homes and at least two electrical transmissions towers, both of which collapsed as the fire tornado moved by.[10] The fire tornado also exhibited unusually strong winds, which were able to toss a large metal container.[11]
Casualties
Four people were killed by the fire whirl; three people were killed in a home that collapsed, and a firefighter was killed while driving near the fire whirl.[6][12][13]
| Name | Age | Date located | Location | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Stoke | 37 | July 26, 2018 | Benson Drive, Redding, California | Fire marshal | [14] |
| James Roberts | 5 | July 28, 2018 | Shasta County | N/A | [15] |
| Emily Roberts | 4 | July 28, 2018 | Shasta County | N/A | [15] |
| Melody Bledsoe | 70 | July 28, 2018 | Shasta County | N/A | [15] |
See also
Notes and footnotes
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ "California Event Report: High Wind 134 knots". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service Sacramento CA. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
- ^ "California Event Report: High Wind 134 knots". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service Sacramento CA. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
- ^ Golgowski, Nina (August 15, 2018). "Letters Pour In Supporting Couple Whose Trailer May Have Sparked Carr Fire". HuffPost. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ Chavez, Nicole (July 29, 2018). "Carr Fire in California is so hot it's creating its own weather system". CNN. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Incident fact sheet" (PDF). CALFIRE. State of California. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f CalFire 2018, p. 11.
- ^ "The Giant Fire Whirl From California's Carr Fire Produced Damage Similar to an EF3 Tornado in Redding, an NWS Survey Found | Weather.com". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ "How a weird fire vortex sparked a meteorological mystery". Science. December 19, 2018. Archived from the original on November 22, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ "Carr Fire: Video shows massive fire tornado that killed Redding firefighter Jeremy Stoke". CBS News. August 17, 2018. Archived from the original on December 16, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ Benda, David. "Destructive and deadly, yes. But unprecedented? Trying to understand the Carr fire twister". Record Searchlight. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ Fedschun, Travis (August 16, 2018). "Fire tornado spawned by California's deadly Carr Fire seen in video". Fox News. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ "Report: Massive Carr Fire tornado trapped, killed Calif. firefighter". FireRescue1. August 16, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ Gabbert, Bill (August 20, 2018). "Report concludes fire tornado with 136+ mph winds contributed to a fatality on Carr Fire". Wildfire Today. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ "USA Firefighter Fatality Notification" (PDF). CalFire.
- ^ a b c "Two Kids, Great-Grandma in Redding Found Dead in Carr Fire, Family Says; Death Toll Rises to Five". NBC Bay Area. July 28, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
Sources
- CalFire (2018). "Burn Over Fatalities: Carr Incident". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. pp. 1–18.