What is a Firenado?

Posted on June 29, 2011

A firenado is a rare weather phenomenon. Most firenados occur during extreme wildfires when a brush fire is whipped upwards by strong air currents to form a vortex. Rising heated air and sucked in fuel helps strengthen the firenado. A firenado can be as tall as five to ten stories high. Windspeeds in the strongest firenados can top 100 mph. Firenados are generally very short lived. Take a look:

A firenado was recorded on video last year in Brazil following weeks of drought. Take a look:

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