Moment a FIRENADO rages through California wildfire site as Golden State braces for ANOTHER heatwave: 117F forecast sparks power and water outage fears as Death Valley hits 130F - the hottest temperature Earth has recorded in 90 years
The US Forest Service shared a video of a fire tornado ripping through a northern California wildfire site as the Golden State braces itself for another dangerous heatwave that could break a 90-year-old record.
Officials shared a clip of the the fire tornado, or fire whirl, raging through the Tennant Fire in Siskiyou County on Friday.
It quickly went viral after being shared by the National Weather Service, who said that the weather phenomenon's rotation was so intense that it was detected by radar.
A fire whirl is defined by US forest service officials as a 'spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris and flame.'
The Tennant Fire burned 10,580 acres since it started on June 28 and is 91 percent contained, the US forest service said on Friday.
While the Tennant Fire is nearly under control, firefighters are dealing with a roaring wildfire that's forcing evacuations across state lines into Nevada this weekend as the region braces for 'dangerously hot' weather - with the mercury set to hit a searing 117F across much of Southern California's inland areas.
National Weather Service Officials have issued an excessive heat warning for much of the Golden State, which is in place until Monday.
The Beckwourth Complex Fire - which was started by two lightning strikes in Plumas National Forest on June 30 - showed 'extreme behavior,' fire information officer Lisa Cox told the Associated Press Friday evening.
more videos
Harry Kane's wife sings Sweet Caroline after England's semi-final win
Starmer warns 'Johnson variant' will surge after unlocking
Mother of Columbine shooter recalls funeral
Bizarre moment Deliveroo cyclist rides in outside lane of motorway
'Magic Carpet' ride at Michigan festival comes loose from its base
Man spotted viciously throttling a seagull for stealing his doughnut
Bizarre moment grouper tailing a crocodile down a murky creek
Shocking moment woman is crushed to death in Russian karaoke club
World's deepest pool is an underwater city full of activities
Shocking moment man unleashes knife attack on paramedics
Polish farmer harvests his field surrounded by apartment blocks
Farmer catches serial fly-tippers and forces them to flee on foot
The fire tornado tears through the Tennant wildfire in Northern California. A clip of the rare weather phenomenon was shared by the National Weather Service on Friday, as California was warned to brace itself for a 117F heatwave
The fire tornado, or fire whirl, is defined by US forest service officials as a 'spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris and flame'
The Beckwourth Complex Fire continues to burn in Doyle, California, on Friday and is only nine percent contained as of the more recent update on Friday
Strong winds and scorching, dry weather are driving the flames from the Beckwourth Complex Fire forward and forcing evacuations in California and Nevada. Firefighters battle the flames in Plumas National Forest on Friday
Firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Placerville station battle the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire in Doyle, California, on Friday
Embers blow across the Beckwourth Complex Fire in Doyle, which has already burned through over 38,000 acres
Strong winds and scorching, dry weather drove flames forward through over 38,000 acres of trees and brush and is only nine percent contained, the US forest service said in its most recent update on Friday.
There have not been any reports of serious injuries or fatalities as a result of the blaze.
These are just two of several wildfires blazing trails on the West Coast, which is expected to see triple-digit temperatures upwards of 110F.
Sacramento Valley is forecast to see record-breaking 115F temperatures on Saturday and Sunday. Death Valley is forecast to hit 123F on Saturday - hours after recording 130F - the highest temperature experienced on Earth in 90 years.
Southern Inland California has also been predicted to experience 117F weather, with temperatures only forecast to drop slightly on Monday.
The stretch of weather extending through the weekend could bring 'dangerously hot conditions,' the National Weather Service said.
This heat wave comes just two weeks after the deadly 'heat dome' capped North America's hottest month of June on record.
Firefighters from Cal Fire's Placerville station monitor the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire
The Beckwourth Fire Complex, seen here in Plumas National Forest in Quincy, California, started after two lightning strikes hit ground dried out by California's ongoing heat wave
The Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, burns in Plumas National Forest, California on July 9
The heat dome lasted from June 26 to July 1, killing 116 people in Oregon and another 78 in Washington State as temperatures soared up to more than 95 degrees. It also caused some areas in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia to hit as high as 115 degrees.
Sarah Rogowski, a National Weather Service forecaster, told The New York Times that California may experience record-breaking highs in the central part of the state over the weekend and into Monday, with highs 10 to 15 degrees higher than average in some parts of the state.
The official temperature in California's Death Valley hit 130F on Friday, breaking the daily record for June 9 and coming close to the all-time worldwide record of 134F, which was set there in 1913.
The accuracy of the 1913 record has been disputed by various experts, who say Friday's confirmed 130F heat might actually be the hottest temperature ever recorded.
Ongoing extreme heat is sparking concerns of power and water outages. As of Saturday morning, there are no reported issues.
And the Office of Emergency Services will be working closely with the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s energy grid, to ensure that power continues uninterrupted over the weekend, the New York Times reported.
On Friday, Las Vegas set a new daily record-high temperature of 116F, breaking the previous record of 113F which was set back in 1943 and tied in 2012, according to AccuWeather. Saturday's temperatures are expected to be in the same range.
Temperature forecasts are seen for Death Valley, which is flirting with the all-time record for surface temperature
The West Coast is bracing for yet another record-setting heatwave, with temperatures set to hit up to 117°F just two weeks after deadly 'heat dome'
The heat dome, which capped North America's hottest month of June on record, killed 116 people in Oregon and another 78 in Washington State
Officials with the California Office of Emergency Services believe the Golden State is undergoing serious climate changes amidst the recent influx in temperatures, droughts and wildfires.
'We believe that California is very clearly experiencing the impacts of a changing environment,' said deputy director of crisis communications for the California Office of Emergency Services Brian Ferguson.
'We're seeing drought conditions we haven't seen before, and there is a cascading impact, but it really all comes back to climate.'
In preparation for this weekend's record-setting temperatures, the Office of Emergency Services are offering cooling centers throughout the state, especially for those without air conditioning.
'We're competing with Mother Nature,' Ferguson said. 'We're throwing everything we have at this challenge to help keep those who are vulnerable safe.'
Governor Gavin Newsom has expanded a drought emergency to 50 of California's 58 counties, with 95 per cent of the state currently experiencing severe drought.
The Oroville Dam - California's largest water reservoir - is currently experiencing such low water levels that a nearby hydro-electric power station which uses its water may soon have to be shut down.