A rare 'ash devil' was spotted while battling the Trinity fire in San Bernardino County, a whirling column of hot ash and embers created when rising heat meets shifting winds.
The Trinity fire, which started May 1 in Phelan, burned 19 acres with no structures damaged, though it destroyed an unknown number of Joshua trees. Firefighters witnessed the rare phenomenon after extinguishing a line of flames.
Ash devils can hurl hot embers in all directions and spark new fires, but this one harmlessly dissipated without spreading the blaze further.
Fire officials said the ash devil was not a common occurrence and brought a heightened level of awareness due to the potential danger it causes. The fire is 50% contained as of late Saturday afternoon.