Cal Fire has released a shocking video showing a record-breaking fire tornado of unprecedented size and intensity that killed a firefighter within seconds as he tried to evacuate residents in Redding.

Footage recorded on July 26 shows the smoke-and-flame twister measuring 1,000 feet at its base swirling into the air at speeds of up to 165mph, with temperatures that likely exceeded 2,700 degrees.

According to a report by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the historic fire vortex the side of three football fields shot approximately 7.5 miles into the sky.

Nature’s fury: The fire twister measured 1,000 feet at its base and swirled into the air at speeds of up to 165mph, with temperatures that likely exceeded 2,700 degrees

The agency’s official report has concluded that the rare natural phenomenon caused the death of Redding firefighter Jeremy Stoke, 37, a married father-of-two who was almost instantly enveloped by the annihilating fire and smoke while battling the deadly Carr fire.

The infernal tornado exploded in the middle of what was already a gigantic wildfire that started on July 23 with a spark from a vehicle driving on a flat tire. Stoke is one of eight people killed since the blaze started and destroyed nearly 1,100 homes. It was 76 per cent contained as of Thursday.

A 17-year veteran of the fire department, Stoke was familiar with the dangers of wildfires. But this was unprecedented.

‘There have been several documented instances of a fire whirl in California,’ said Jonathan Cox, a Cal Fire battalion chief. ‘But this is the largest documented fire whirl — a fire-generated tornado — in California history.’

The 37-year-old fire inspector was driving his pickup truck down a Redding road, working on evacuating people from the larger blaze, when he radioed out a ‘mayday’ call, according to the newly released report detailing the chain of events.

Stoke said he ‘needed a water drop and was getting burned over,’ the report said……More Here