Firenado

1/28/2020 (Permalink)

We all know what fire is and we all know what a tornado is, but have you ever heard of a Firenado.  At SERVPRO of Mobile County, we know just about everything there is to know about fire, but even this was a new one for us.  There is some disagreement as to the correct term for the occurrence, but it is basically a funnel of fire.  It has been referred to as a fire whirl, fire devil, fire swirl, fire twister, firenado or fire tornado.  The phenomenon is rare and occurs when there is a large, intense fire with rapidly rising heat and intense wind conditions.  These variables combine to create a unique vortex of swirling columns of flames.  Unlike tornadoes, these vortexes do not run from ground to cloud which is why the name Firenado or Fire Tornado isn’t considered to be the accurate label.  The vortex in a Fire Whirl is actually created from the heat rising rapidly combined with strong surface winds.  They may reach heights up to 150 ft. and temperatures of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.