Rare 'Firenado' vortex captured as wildfire rips through 9,000 acres in Utah
A shocking new video has captured the formation of a rare 'firenado' during the raging Deer Creek Fire in Utah, USA.
The colossal inferno has already burnt through 8,925 acres and remains entirely uncontrolled, with firefighters battling to gain control under perilous conditions.
Fanned by dry winds, the wildfire has expanded rapidly, forcing crews to withdraw from the front lines and leading to wider evacuations in the area. Even here in the UK, where wildfires are less common than the US, a wildfire recently swept through a London suburb, requiring the efforts of 80 firefighters to combat the flames.
Authorities have cautioned that the extreme heat and unpredictable wind patterns are creating hazardous firefighting conditions, as the fire continues to spread unchecked.
A 'firenado', or fire tornado, is a rare and dangerous event that occurs when intense heat from a wildfire causes rising air to spin into a vortex, drawing in flames, ash, and debris, reports the Express.
Unlike traditional tornadoes, which form from severe thunderstorms and atmospheric instability, firenadoes result from extreme heat and turbulent wind conditions on the ground.
They can reach temperatures of up to 1,000°C and generate winds exceeding 100 mph.
The term "firenado" became widely known during a 2003 wildfire in Australia, although such events have been recorded for over a century.
One of the most notorious instances happened during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan, where a firestorm claimed over 38,000 lives in Tokyo.
Firenadoes are typically short-lived but highly destructive, posing significant challenges to firefighters.
Recent events in the US, Australia, and Canada have highlighted their growing frequency, likely linked to increasingly severe wildfire seasons driven by climate change.
Firefighters remain on high alert as the blaze continues to rage out of control, with officials confirming there was still 0% containment as of Sunday night.
Crews are battling against dry conditions and powerful gusts that are fuelling the flames and complicating efforts to bring the inferno under control.
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