Incredible La Sal “fire-nado” given EF-2 rating

by David Boyle
News Director
The National Weather Service issued a report on the fire-filled tornado as part of the Deer Creek fire.
The fire-induced tornado developed on Saturday July 12, touching down on the ground for about 12 minutes from 1:03 to 1:15 pm.
The tornado grew to 100 yards at its largest measurement but was relatively stationary, traveling less than 200 yards. 
With peak winds at 122 miles per hour, the tornado was given an EF-2 rating with damage being done to neighboring structures.
Jesse Bender, Public Information Officer with the Great Basin Team 4, said the event had firefighters with two and three decades of experience in awe.
“Those folks out there who have seen a lot of fire whirls in their career, this was by far several of them have stated the most intense firewhirl they had ever seen.
“And that’s really what led to so many people taking pictures and videos and so much of that visual of it getting posted on Facebook, on Instagram, on news pages and so forth.
“So really a unique experience even for people who have been out on the line for quite a while.”
Dwellings and outbuildings in the area sustained a mix of fire and wind damage, as well as firefighting engine.
Despite being such a large event, Bender says they were grateful, “Thankfully, nobody being hurt in the process. It really is a testament to everybody’s awareness leading up to that.
“Good information on the weather that was coming and everybody was in a safe place so that the fire itself also didn’t impact people and neither did the winds and the debris.”
 Residents were evacuated prior to the tornado and no injuries were sustained by fire personnel.