'Firenado' swirls amid raging Dixie Fire in northern California
The surreal sight greeted firefighters as they battled the massive Dixie Fire in northern California last month.
'Firenado' Swirls Amid Dixie Fire in Northern California
A fire whirl was spotted swirling in California’s Dixie Fire in Janesville on August 16.
JANESVILLE, Calif. -- A surreal sight greeted firefighters as they battled the massive Dixie Fire in northern California last month: A "firenado".
The footage was captured by firefighter Casey Zenger on Aug. 16 near Janesville. He says he took the video as his team's fire engine was trying to protect a home from the encroaching flames.
Zenger says they saved the house.
These whirls of fire are caused when the rising air from the wildfire’s intense heat creates a column of flames that rise towards the sky.
They typically are 33-100 feet tall and have inside wind speeds of about 20-60 mph. The smallest whirls can be just a couple feet across while the largest can span 500 feet in diameter.
NOAA researchers say the most favorable condition for fire whirlwinds are over a hot fire near the top of a steep slope with strong winds over the ridge top.
The Dixie Fire has now burned nearly 850,000 acres in the 48 days it's been burning, ranking as the second-largest fire in the state's history, according to Cal Fire. Fire officials report the fire is 52% contained.