Published on November 13, 2018

Few things survived the power of the reported 143 mile per hour Firenado (Fire Tornado) that occurred during the Carr Fire that struck the City of Redding and Shasta County earlier this year. The aftermath of this apocalyptic event was captured by the Fire Districts UAS/Drone Team that provided high resolution aerial imagery to the City for public information.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jMK3pYwhhn2GCXVFIUZapA6cu0NfPi8d/view?usp=drivesdk
 

A 1941 GMC Pickup Truck that had been stored inside the garage of Mr. Jose Briones, who lived on Baker Road in the hills above Redding and the Sacramento River, specifically caught the eye of the Drone Team and Fire Chief Schapelhouman.

Amazingly, the truck survived, as did the Briones family, but their home, storage/work garage and everything on their property was completely destroyed by the Firenado.

The formerly red truck was obviously violently tossed about, stripped of its paint, every metal surface distorted by the heat and power of the EF-3 vortex, winds and its pressures.
 

The Fire District eventually located Mr. Briones and convinced him to loan/sell the truck to the Fire District in order to help tell the story of the Carr Fire, the Firenado and to help promote preparedness, planning and fire safety until he and his family can get back on their feet and rebuild their lives and home.
 

The Firenado Truck will be on display at the Fire Districts Board Meeting Tonight (Tuesday) at 7 pm in the classroom located behind Fire Station 1 at 300 Middlefield Road.

Fire Chief Schapelhouman said “we hope someday the Briones family, or the City of Redding, will want to preserve this amazing survivor of the Firenado, and we would be happy return it to them. In the mean time, we see it as an important, powerful and amazing public awareness and education tool. We need and want our residents to think about emergency preparedness and we hope this helps drive those discussions and needed actions”.  

Over the years, the Fire District has acquired important symbolic items from many of the Disasters it has responded to like:

- Loma Prieta Earthquake - Embarcadero Freeway Supporting Column - For Training

- Oklahoma City Bombing - Building Columns and Granite - Memorial

- World Trade Center Collapse - Granite floor slab from the plaza - Future memorial

- Hurricane Katrina - City of New Orleans Flood Control Barrier - Display
 

Promotional photographs and literature will be developed to assist with this educational outreach.
 

Pictured Below - The Firenado Truck was striped of its paint, it’s metal panels were distorted by heat and the EF-3 vortex winds and pressures created by this reported 143 mile per hour extremely rare apocalyptic event that occurred in the hills above the City of Redding during the Carr Fire - Credit Menlo Fire Drone Team

Pictured Below - Mr. Briones, the trucks owner, thanks and congratulates Mechanic Rudy Torres with the Menlo Park Fire District on the acquisition and preservation of the Firenado Truck. Credit Menlo Fire