Even moderate winds were deadly given the high fire-loading of their buildings. And Tokyo wasn't the only firestorm. Forgive the KWiki. but:
XXI Bomber Command followed up the firebombing of Tokyo with similar raids against other major cities. On 11 March 310 B-29s were dispatched against Nagoya. The bombing was spread over a greater area than had been the case at Tokyo, and the attack caused less damage. Nevertheless, 2.05 square miles (5.3 km2) of buildings were burnt out and no B-29s were lost to the Japanese defenses. On the night of 13/14 March, 274 Superfortresses attacked Osaka and destroyed 8.1 square miles (21 km2) of the city for the loss of two aircraft. Kobe was the next target in the firebombing campaign, and was attacked by 331 B-29s on the night of 16/17 March. The resulting firestorm destroyed 7 square miles (18 km2) of the city (equivalent to half its area), killed 8,000 people and rendered 650,000 homeless. Three B-29s were lost. Nagoya was attacked again on the night of 18/19 March, and the B-29s destroyed 2.95 square miles (7.6 km2) of buildings. Only one Superfortress was shot down during this attack, and all members of its crew were rescued after the aircraft ditched into the sea. This raid marked the end of the first firebombing campaign as XXI Bomber Command had exhausted its supplies of incendiary bombs.[110][111] The Command's next major operation was an unsuccessful night precision attack on the Mitsubishi aircraft engine factory conducted on the night of 23/24 March; during this operation five of the 251 aircraft dispatched were shot down.[112] B-29s also began to drop propaganda leaflets over Japan during March. These leaflets called on Japanese civilians to overthrow their government or face destruction.
Tokyo and Hiroshima are often cited as the most significant firestorms in Japan during World War II. The Tokyo firebombing on March 9–10, 1945, caused a massive firestorm, killing around 100,000 people and devastating 16 square miles of the city. Hiroshima's atomic bombing on August 6, 1945, also resulted in a firestorm due to the intense heat and blast effects of the nuclear explosion.
Nagasaki's atomic bombing on August 9, 1945, did not result in a firestorm.
While other cities like Nagoya and Osaka experienced severe incendiary bombings, they may not have reached the same scale or intensity to be classified as "true firestorms." The distinction often lies in the self-sustaining wind systems and extreme temperatures that define a firestorm. The sheer tonnage of incendiaries in those other raids did cause widespread fires and destruction over several square miles of area.
My understanding of a "firestorm" is well beyond just a huge fire, even one lit by several thousand tons of incendiary bombs systematically distributed over several square miles of urban area. Literally a huge "fire tornado."
A firestorm is an extreme and self-sustaining fire phenomenon characterized by intense heat, strong winds, and widespread destruction. It occurs when the heat generated by a large fire causes a powerful updraft, drawing in oxygen-rich air from surrounding areas. This creates a feedback loop, where the influx of air feeds the fire, causing it to grow even larger and more intense. The rising hot air and cooler incoming air can also form tornado-like winds, further spreading the flames and exacerbating the destruction.
Key features of a firestorm include:
- Self-perpetuating system: The fire sustains itself by generating winds and drawing in oxygen.
- High temperatures: Extreme heat, capable of igniting nearby structures and vegetation.
- Large-scale destruction: Often associated with urban or forest fires, leading to catastrophic damage.
These phenomena are rare and are typically linked to large-scale events like incendiary bombings (e.g., Tokyo, Dresden) or natural wildfires.