Wildfire fighters see record death toll as climate pushes teams 'to the limit'

California's 'megafires' are making a demanding job even harder, say firefighters mourning their colleagues

The firefighter Jeremy Stoke was helping residents evacuate from the northern California city of Redding when the wildfire menacing their neighborhood arrived suddenly in an apocalyptic form: a riot of wind and flame known as a "firenado".

As the firestorm ripped trees out of the ground and incinerated cars, Stoke radioed for help. But the potent combination of smoke and heat made it impossible to reach him, and his radio went silent. His colleagues found his body the next morning.