five-alarm

[fahyv-uh-lahrm]

adjective

1. of or relating to an extremely destructive or intense fire.

2. of or relating to something that is remarkable or intense, especially of food that is very spicy.

Example Sentences

The Dodger bullpen is a five-alarm fire, an unmitigated disaster, a total catastrophe.

From Los Angeles Times

“Use whatever analogy you want to use — this is a five-alarm fire,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatric infectious-disease specialist who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious-disease committee.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's obviously beyond that New World screwworm sterile barrier and so essentially, you're finding an insect in areas where it should not be found, and this is one that can cause tremendous harm to livestock, to wildlife and to humans. So it's a huge public health issue. It's an animal health issue, it's a health security issue ... That's a five-alarm fire. It needs to be jumped on and taken care of promptly," Bogoch explained.

From Salon

"It's a huge public health issue. It's an animal health issue, it's a health security issue ... That's a five-alarm fire."

From Salon

Amicus is coming to you with an extra episode because of the five-alarm threat to the balance of power in the wake of Monday and Tuesday’s memos from the White House Office of Management and Budget freezing vast tranches of federal funding.

From Slate