WHAT IS A FIRE TORNADO?
The rare event occurs when a fire is whipped up by strong, dry air currents to form a vertical whirl.They can consist of a whirlwind of hot air around or within the flames or a vortex of fire itself.Also known as “fire devils” or “fire whirls”, they can uproot trees up to 49 ft (15m).Fire tornadoes are usually 30-200ft (10-50m) and a few meters wide, and last only a few minutes.But some of the largest can be more than a half a mile tall, contain winds over 100mph, and persist for more than 20 minutes. Fire tornadoes are rare in nature, but when they do start spinning they are even hotter than a regular fire.
HOW FIRE TORNADO FORM?
Hawaii Fire Tornado
Firefighters watch a "fire tornado" wreathed with dust and smoke as it swirls on the south slope of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano Sunday. The fiery column was spawned during a 1,400-acre (566-hectare) brush fire triggered by regional drought.
Fire Tornado in Bangkok
A fire tornado rises from burning peat on a farm in Bangor, U.K., in 2008.
Combustible, carbon-rich gases released by burning vegetation on the ground are fuel for most fire tornadoes, Forthofer said. "The vegetation on the ground heats up enough to release gas, but some of the gas can't combust, because it doesn't have enough oxygen around it."
Fire Tornado In Brazil: Whirling column of flames sweeps through burning fields
This rare phenomenon then swept through burning fields and stopped traffic in Brazil as bush fires spread across the country.The whirlwind of flame, several metres high, was caught on camera in Aracatuba, in southern Sao Paulo state. It was caused by strong, dry winds that fanned wildfires.
National geography News
.jpg)
