Daniel Swain for Japan Times — Wildfires are getting weirder. Case in point: ‘firenados.’

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the intensifying and unusual nature of wildfires for Japan Times, highlighting the rapid spread and unpredictable behavior of these fires as a result of global warming. Swain shares how the Park Fire in Northern California expanded at an “extraordinary” rate, covering 350,000 acres within 72 hours, and created vortexes of fire known as “firenados,” which complicate firefighting efforts.

“I am not sure we’ve seen faster rates of spread on a modern California wildfire,” Swain said. He emphasizes that even with advanced firefighting technology, the extreme heat driving these fires poses significant challenges, and calls for limiting future global warming to mitigate their impact.