'Smokenado' Snakes Skyward as River Fire Ignites in Northern California

The fast-moving River Fire ignited in Colfax, California, on August 4, bringing thick orange smoke and a ‘smokenado’ to the area.

Laura Reich recorded this video and originally posted it to Facebook. She told Storyful the video was taken from the next ridge over about two hours after the fire started.

The footage shows thick smoke above woodland as a dust whirl snakes up into the smoke.

The fire quickly spread to 2,400 acres (about four square miles) and was zero percent contained, forcing thousands of people to evacuate, according to reports. Credit: Laura Reich via Storyful