Fire whirl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fire whirl |
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A fire whirl with flames spinning in the center
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| Area of occurrence | Worldwide (mostly in places with wildfires) |
| Season | All year (mostly in the dry season) |
| Effect | Wind damage, burning, spreading of fires |
A fire whirl, sometimes called a fire devil or fire tornado, is a spinning column of air caused by a large fire. It is often made of flame or ash. These whirls start when intense heat causes air to rise quickly, and strong winds make that rising air spin.
While people often call them "fire tornadoes," true tornadoes are connected to clouds in the sky. Most fire whirls start on the ground and do not reach the clouds. However, some very large fires can create their own weather and spawn powerful whirls that act very much like real tornadoes.
Fire whirls have been seen all over the world during major wildfires, such as the 2003 Canberra bushfires in Australia and the 2018 Carr Fire in California. More recently, they were spotted during the 2025 Deer Creek Fire in Utah.
Contents
How Fire Whirls Form
A fire whirl needs two main things to form: extreme heat and spinning wind.
The Science of Heat and Wind
When a fire burns, it heats the air above it. Hot air is lighter than cold air, so it rises quickly. This is called an updraft. If the wind blows into the fire from different directions, it can make this rising air start to rotate.
Imagine water going down a drain; it spins as it moves. A fire whirl is similar, but the air is moving up instead of down. As the air spins faster, it pulls the flames into a tight, tall column.
Size and Strength
Most fire whirls are small. They might be about 10 to 50 m (33 to 164 ft) tall and only last for a few minutes. However, in very large wildfires, they can become huge monsters. Some can grow to be more than 1 km (0.6 mi) tall and have wind speeds over 200 km/h (120 mph).
These powerful winds can pick up burning branches and toss them far away. This is dangerous because it can start new fires in places that were safe before.
Types of Fire Whirls
Scientists group fire whirls into three main types based on how they move:
- Type 1: The whirl stays in one spot over the fire.
- Type 2: The whirl moves downwind, away from the fire.
- Type 3: The whirl forms in an open area next to the fire.
The Blue Whirl
In laboratories, scientists discovered a special type of fire whirl called a blue whirl. It burns with a blue color instead of yellow. The blue color means it is burning very cleanly, without making much soot or smoke. Scientists study these to learn how to burn fuels more efficiently.
Famous Fire Whirls in History
Throughout history, there have been several major events where fire whirls caused significant damage.
1923 Great Kantō Earthquake
One of the most famous examples happened in Tokyo, Japan, in 1923. After a massive earthquake, a huge fire broke out in the city. The heat and winds created a gigantic fire whirl in an open park area. It was a very tragic event that hurt many people who had gathered there for safety.
2003 Canberra Bushfires
In January 2003, a violent fire whirl formed near Canberra, Australia. It was so strong that it was rated like an F3 tornado. The winds were measured at 160 mph (260 km/h). It happened so fast that it scorched a large area of land in a fraction of a second.
2018 Carr Fire
On July 26, 2018, a massive fire whirl, often called a "fire tornado," hit the city of Redding, California. It was very large and caused a lot of damage to homes and buildings in the area.
2025 Deer Creek Fire
On July 12, 2025, a strong fire tornado formed during a wildfire in San Juan County, Utah. It was rated as an EF2 tornado. It damaged a fire engine, but thankfully, the firefighters were safe and no one was injured.
See also
In Spanish: Remolino de fuego para niños
