Fire whirls spin but aren’t true tornadoes

Fire whirls spin flames and ash.

Fire whirls form from intense heat and turbulent winds.

Wildfires and firestorms create their own winds for whirls.

Typical fire whirls stand 10 to 50 meters tall and narrow.

Some fire whirls grow over 1 kilometer tall during wildfires.

Wind speeds in fire whirls can exceed 200 kilometers per hour.

Forest fire with a visible fire whirl in early morning.

Whirls lift burning embers, spreading wildfires to new areas.

Fire whirls appear as spinning smoke columns with bright flames.

Most fire whirls last only a few minutes before fading away.

Fire whirls form from surface winds and fire heat, not storms.

Fire whirls spin with flame but aren’t true tornadoes.