firestorm

American  

[fahyuhr-stawrm] / ˈfaɪərˌstɔrm /

Or fire storm

noun

1. an atmospheric phenomenon, caused by a large fire, in which the rising column of air above the fire draws in strong winds often accompanied by rain.

2. a raging fire of great intensity, as one fueled by oil or gas, that spreads rapidly.

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firestorm British  

/ ˈfaɪəˌstɔːm /

noun

1. an uncontrollable blaze sustained by violent winds that are drawn into the column of rising hot air over the burning area: often the result of heavy bombing

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Etymology

Origin of firestorm

First recorded in 1575–85; fire + storm

Example Sentences

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has filed a lawsuit against Airbnb, accusing the home-sharing platform of allowing price gouging at more than 2,000 rentals following the January firestorm.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

At a hearing last week on extending the order, Judge Brendan A. Hurson told the courtroom full of ICE protesters that he understood the political firestorm surrounding the lawsuit.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026

But earlier this year, Davidson inadvertently found himself and his condition at the center of a media firestorm.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026

During descent, the Orion capsule where the astronauts have been living and working will slam into the planet’s atmosphere, exposing it to a firestorm reaching 5,000 degrees.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

One section of the old city, tucked against the western walls, becomes a firestorm in which the spires of flames, at their highest, reach three hundred feet.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr