According to the Environmental Protection Agency, climate change causes longer and more intense wildfire seasons. As a result, fires are becoming big enough to create extreme weather, including massive smoke and flame funnels. While the link between the rising intensity of fires in the West and the increase in fire tornadoes isn’t clear, we’re seeing more of them.

Fire tornadoes are one of nature’s most dangerous creations. It has everything scary: extreme heat, fierce winds, and flames. But are they real? Are they dangerous? How often do they occur? Let’s find out below. 

What Are Fire Tornadoes? 

Fire tornadoes, also known as fire whirls or fire devils, are intense whirlwinds fueled by intense heat from fires. They occur when turbulent winds and heat create swirling air columns visible through smoke and flame. As they get bigger, they can create their own weather. Fire whirls or tornadoes are classified into three main types:

• Type 1: Stable and centered directly over a burning area.
• Type 2: Stable or transient, forming downwind of the fire.
• Type 3: Steady or transient, centered on an open area next to asymmetric burning areas.

Evidence suggests the fire whirl in the Hifukusho-ato area during the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923 was type 3. A broader classification with five types was also suggested by Forman Williams in 2020:

• Fuel Distribution Whirls
• Pool or Water-Based Whirls
• Tilted Fire Whirls
• Moving Whirls
• Whirls Based on Vortex Breakdown Whirls

What Causes Fire Tornadoes?

Many factors cause fire tornadoes. Here's a breakdown:

1. Intense Heat

The fire produces extreme heat, which causes the air above it to rise quickly. This rising hot air is called an updraft. The hotter the fire, the stronger the updraft.

2. Wind Shear

A wind shear occurs when the wind changes speed or direction with height. This causes the air to spin as it rises, twisting the rising air into a vortex and producing a rotating column of fire.

3. Buoyancy

Hot air rises because it’s denser than cooler air. This buoyancy creates the spinning motion needed for a fire tornado.

4. Low-Pressure Zones

Wind moving across a wildfire can create low-pressure areas. These pressure differences can make the air spin in a vortex, which intensifies as the hot gases are sucked in.

5. Fuel

Dry vegetation, trees, and other flammable materials increase the fire’s intensity. As a result, it’s easier for the fire to generate the heat and updraft needed for a fire tornado to form.

How Do Fire Tornadoes Form?

Fire tornadoes or fire whirls form when intense heat from a wildfire creates swirling air that becomes a vortex of fire and smoke. It starts with a warm updraft from the fire, which makes the air rise quickly. As the hot air mixes with the cooler surrounding air, it rotates. When conditions are right, this rotating column of air can tighten into a funnel that pulls in flames, smoke, and debris.

Large wildfires can generate enough heat to create their own weather patterns. The heat vaporizes moisture in trees, bushes, and other fuels. The moisture then rises into the atmosphere. The rising hot air creates a heat exchange that powers the air’s rotation. The rotating column can turn into a full-fledged fire tornado when the wind and temperature conditions align. They vary in size, from small ones a few meters tall to massive vortices that can reach over a kilometer high and last for over 20 minutes.

Another key factor is the wind. The faster the wind, the stronger and bigger the fire tornado or whirl is. Some fire tornadoes have winds over 120 mph (200 km/h), which are strong enough to uproot trees and spread burning embers. These tornadoes can also start new fires far from their origins. They’re extremely dangerous, not just because of the fire but also because of the powerful winds they generate.

While not every wildfire produces a fire tornado, larger fires with intense heat and strong winds are more likely to create them. Scientists are also tracking fire tornadoes more closely now, especially as wildfires get more intense due to climate change. 

Connection to Wildfires and Climate Change

Fire tornadoes are rare, but more of them are documented. Climate change’s role in longer, hotter, and more active wildfire seasons creates better conditions for fire tornadoes. They need heat, rotating air, and vertical stretching to form towering funnels of fire. Historical records, such as the Canberra Fire Tornado of 2003 and the Carr Fire Tornado of 2018, show their destructive power.

Researchers are also studying related events like pyrocumulus and pyrocumulonimbus clouds. They’re fire-induced weather systems that can spawn fire whirls and tornadoes. While rare, their frequency might grow because of rising wildfire intensity.

Is a Fire Tornado a Real Thing?

Yes, a fire tornado is real, although it’s rare. It happens when intense heat from a wildfire or large fire creates a swirling vortex of air that picks up flames, ash, and debris. It's like a regular tornado, but it's full of fire and smoke instead of air.

Fire tornadoes form when there’s a combination of strong winds, hot updrafts of air, and wind shears (winds that change speed or direction at different heights). These conditions cause the air to rotate and create twisting flame funnels. 

While they can happen during wildfires, fire tornadoes can also occur with building fires or after disasters like earthquakes. They’re hard to predict and can be extremely dangerous because of the high winds, extreme heat, and flying embers that can ignite fires up to a mile away. Fire tornadoes may be rare, but they’re a growing threat.

Fire Tornadoes Are Not Yet Fully Understood

Fire tornadoes are still a bit of a mystery because they involve many factors. For starters, they're rare. Studying them requires getting close, which is dangerous. They also need the right conditions to form: a combination of intense heat, dry fuel, and wind shear. This makes them unpredictable, so scientists haven’t fully figured out how all the pieces fit.

The situation gets trickier because fire tornadoes don’t happen in controlled environments. They’re mostly observed in large, devastating wildfires. Plus, fire tornadoes don’t always act the same way. Some can form quickly, while others might stay weak. That unpredictability makes it tough for researchers to pin down exactly when and how they’ll occur.

In addition, the terminology around fire tornadoes adds to the confusion. Experts don’t always agree on whether certain events should be called fire whirls, firestorms, or firenadoes. While these terms refer to similar phenomena, the distinctions are unclear, making them harder to study.

So, while fire tornadoes are becoming more popular, there’s still a lot to learn about them. Until scientists can study them safely and consistently, fire tornadoes will remain one of nature's wildest and most mysterious phenomena.

How to Prepare for a Fire Tornado

Fire tornadoes are terrifying, but they’re brief. You can survive if you’re prepared. Here’s how to prepare for a fire tornado: 

1. Stay informed.

Research your local fire history if you’re in a wildfire-prone area. Stay updated by signing up for local emergency alerts, especially during dry seasons. Follow trusted weather and fire monitoring apps or websites as well. Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio for updates during power outages.

2. Protect your house.

Clear vegetation, dead leaves, and flammable materials around your home. Keep a 30-foot buffer zone if possible. Trim branches at least 10 feet away from your house, sheds, and other structures as well. 

3. Fireproof your home.

Use fire-resistant materials for roofing and siding. Seal gaps where embers might sneak in, such as vents, eaves, and windows. Install screens on chimneys and vents. Need a more in-depth guide? Learn how to fireproof your home here. 

4. Build a go bag or bug out bag. 

Pack necessities like water, non-perishable food, and a first aid kit. Include any medications you or your family members might need. Add survival items like a flashlight, extra batteries, N95 masks, personal defense alarms, survival bags, and thermal ponchos as well. Need a more in-depth guide? Learn how to build a family bug out bag and go bag for emergencies here. 

5. Plan your evacuation.

Map out multiple escape routes from your home and neighborhood. Make sure everyone in your household knows the routes, and mark safe meeting points if you get separated.

What to Do When a Fire Tornado Occurs

Fire tornadoes are rare, but they can happen in your area. Here’s a step-by-step guide to stay safe if you’re in the path of a fire tornado:

1. Evacuate Immediately

First things first: evacuate. A fire tornado is unpredictable and can grow quickly, so don’t wait around. If there’s an evacuation order because of a wildfire or fire tornado, follow it. The flames and hot air can travel up to 1.5 km (1 mile) away. Even if you think you're far, get out of the area as soon as possible. 

2. Wear protective gear. 

Wear a mask if you’re caught outside without a way to escape. The air will be thick with smoke, ash, and harmful gases. If you don’t have a mask, cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth, shirt, or something else to avoid inhaling the toxic air. 

3. Find shelter. 

Look for a fire-resistant shelter. This could be a brick building or freshly watered fields. These areas are less likely to catch fire, even if embers land there. If you can, look for a building with a solid structure. If you can’t find shelter, look for a low area or something to cling to, like a tree or something sturdy that won’t be easily moved. Your local government unit might also assign an evacuation center. If this is the case, go to the nearest one instead. 

4. Stay low and wait. 

Fire tornadoes are intense but brief. They usually last a few minutes. If you're in a safe spot, stay low and wait it out. The winds will be strong, so grab onto something secure if you can. And please don’t run. The fire tornado’s heat is more deadly than flying debris.

5. Stay cautious. 

Don’t get complacent after the fire tornado moves on. The area around you can still be extremely hot. Don’t touch anything exposed to flames because they still might be burning. Look for emergency responders and stay away from the tornado’s path.

What Is the Biggest Fire Tornado?

The biggest fire tornado on record is the 1923 Tokyo Fire Whirl, which was caused by massive urban fires after a powerful earthquake. The destruction was so intense because the fire spread rapidly through the city. The extreme conditions also formed a huge fire vortex. This event showed the sheer power and devastation of fire tornadoes in urban settings, where wind conditions and fuel are abundant.

While fire tornadoes caused by wildfires are more common, the Tokyo Fire Whirl (caused by an earthquake) is still the largest and most devastating in history. Its impact reminds us of the dangers of fire tornadoes, especially in densely populated areas.

How Rare Is a Fire Tornado?

Fire tornadoes are rare, but they can happen under specific conditions. They’re most likely to occur during large wildfires, especially when the fire is intense and fuel-rich, like in areas with dry vegetation. High winds, intense heat, and wind shear (changes in wind speed or direction) are needed for a fire tornado to occur. 

Recordings of fire tornadoes used to be rare. But they’re becoming more common because almost everyone has a smartphone. More people can now capture them when they happen, making them more visible than in the past.

Fire tornadoes have also been seen in catastrophic fires, like the Great Peshtigo Fire in 1871. This was one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. It produced a huge firestorm with winds exceeding 100 mph. More recent examples include the Carr Fire in California (2018), which produced a fire tornado that reached dangerous heights.

Despite these examples, fire tornadoes are still rare. Most wildfires don’t produce the right conditions for them to form. While they’re terrifying, they remain an infrequent phenomenon. However, this doesn’t mean you should be complacent. You should still prepare for one, especially if you live in a wildfire-prone area. 

Conclusion

Fire tornadoes are real. They might be rare, but they’re incredibly dangerous. They combine intense heat, powerful winds, and swirling flames—a threat that’s hard to predict. Preparing for wildfires and, by extension, fire tornadoes is a must, especially as climate change makes wildfires more common. 

One of the most important steps in preparation is having a go bag with survival items. Do you want reliable, easy-to-use, and affordable tools to include in your fire tornado go bag? Check out Prepared Hero’s survival tools here, and get up to 51% off on certain items. Remember, being ready can make a huge difference when every second counts. Stay prepared, hero!