Firefighters’ app helps first responders get upper hand when stakes are high

One of the most enduring and frightening images of Northern California’s 2018 Carr Fire was a giant wildfire-fueled tornado, reportedly the first such phenomenon seen in the United States.

It was the most powerful tornado ever recorded in California — a monster EF-3, as measured by the National Weather Service. Less than 3 percent of tornadoes wield so much power, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.