As if battling devastating wildfires isn’t challenging enough, California firefighters could soon face an additional threat: fire tornadoes. These rare but dangerous phenomena occur when wildfires generate their own weather systems.
The National Weather Service issued a warning Tuesday, citing a “particularly dangerous situation” caused by high winds and extremely dry conditions. While the advisory, in effect through Wednesday, did not explicitly mention fire tornadoes, meteorologist Todd Hall noted they are a possibility under such extreme circumstances.
Fire tornadoes, also known as firenadoes, fire whirls, or fire devils, are powerful spinning vortexes of heat, flame, and debris. Scientists and firefighters often debate the precise distinctions between these terms. Some argue that fire whirls are purely heat-driven, while fire tornadoes form when the fire itself generates massive cloud systems.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group describes fire whirls as “spinning vortex columns of ascending hot air and gases” that can carry smoke, debris, and flames high into the air. Larger fire whirls can even reach the intensity of a small tornado, further complicating firefighting efforts.
With conditions ripe for rapidly spreading fires and potentially extreme phenomena like fire tornadoes, the situation remains critical for first responders on the front lines.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley revealed that over half of the city’s fire trucks were out of service due to budget cuts as wildfires swept through the region. More than 100 of the department’s 183 fire trucks were sidelined, leaving LAFD ill-equipped to handle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have destroyed thousands of structures and claimed dozens of lives.
Chief Crowley attributed the issue to a $17.4 million budget cut approved by Mayor Karen Bass in June, which eliminated crucial civilian positions, including mechanics responsible for maintaining the fleet. Speaking with CNN, Crowley stated, “The $17 million budget cuts and elimination of our civilian positions, like our mechanics, did and has and will continue to severely impact our ability to repair our apparatus.”
The cuts compounded ongoing challenges. LAFD previously requested $96.5 million to replace aging vehicles, many of which have exceeded their service life, leading to costly repairs and prolonged downtime. The department also sought $1.9 million to restore 16 maintenance positions cut the previous year. Both requests went unfulfilled, exacerbating the department’s readiness issues.
