The fire whirl in California Thursday, July 26 has been compared to an EF-3 tornado!
https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1025125984465498112
During the evening of Thursday, July 26 the Carr Fire spread uncontrollably and erratically in Shasta County, California near Redding. A "fire whirl" developed where intense heat from wildfires swirls up whipping winds that looks much like a tornado. The whirl during that Thursday evening had estimated winds of 143 miles per hour!

Compare that wind speed to a tornado and you'll enter the rating of an EF-3!

There were reports of many trees uprooted and even the bark of trees being ripped off. Imagine all of this happening within an ongoing wildfire.
For WeatherNation, Meteorologist
Steve Glazier