Incredible footage shows brave firefighters battling a "fire tornado" the US grapples with fires across the country during widespread heatwaves.
The blaze started to spread in the Klamath National Forest in Northern California forcing thousands to evacuate the area.
The fire in Gorman, Los Angeles County, was tackled by over 200 firefighters and one of the emergency responders described it as "the biggest one I've ever seen".
Firefighters were called to the scene around 4.07pm local time on August 11, with the blaze then estimated to be around four acres across.
By just after 6pm, it was upgraded to a 'second alarm' fire and reached around 148 acres.
Over 200 people were called to fight the 'Sam Fire' and helicopters could be seen dropping water on it.
The tornadoes are also known as 'fire whirls' and occur when the intense rising heat mixes with strong winds. This causes the fire to spin and as it does so, it drags in more of the fuel it needs to burn.
They create a "spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flame," according to the United States Department of Agriculture Fire Service.
Large fire whirls are said to "have the intensity of a small tornado".
Authorities are still battling a larger fire known as the 'McKinney fire, far larger in size, threatening nearly 5,000 buildings and a whopping 50,000 to 60,000 acres.
Four people have been reported dead in the blaze, which started on July 29, though 75 per cent of it has reportedly now been contained.
One victim of the widespread fires was Klamath National Forest agency lookout Kathy Shoopman.
The agency said: "It is with great sadness that we must announce that the Klamath National Forest has lost one of its own.
"Kathy died in her home in the community of Klamath River as a result of the McKinney Fire.
"We share this sorrow with each and every one of you and we know that individually, and as the supportive community that we are, we will find many ways to honour Kathy’s life and service and keep her spirit in all of our lives."
The McKinney blaze also caused the death of thousands of fish as a landslide containing mud, ash and debris from the fire swept into California's Klamath River.
The local indigenous Karuk and Yurok tribes, who have previously campaigned to protect salmon in the area, were reportedly devastated by the development.
One man, Brink, told CBC: "If you really understand this sucker — like people that live here do — they're our elders.
"These fish, they're like 30 years old. They clean our river … they eat the algae. Their little mouths are like scrubbers. They clean all the rocks."
This comes as drought could be declared for some parts of England on Friday, as the country bakes in another heatwave.
The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet on Friday to discuss the prolonged dry weather.
There are expectations drought could be declared for some parts of England such as southern and eastern areas, prompting action by agencies and water companies to manage water resources to ensure supplies and protect the environment.
