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used interchangeably to describe a vortex of any size or duration occurring in a wildfire. Only in recent years have scientists begun to distinguish types of vortices from one another, in particular highlighting the rare cases of actual pyro-tornadogenesis (or tornado formation during/due to a wildfire).
331:
A spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising from a fire. Fire whirls can range from less than a meter in diameter up to possibly 3 kilometers in diamater. This phenomenon can pose significant danger to wildland firefighters.The terms fire whirl and fire tornado have often been
285:
Smoldering(Smouldering in
British English) is when a fire burns without much flame but with large amounts of smoke. It typically occurs after the flaming combustion phase. Smoldering fires contribute significantly to carbon emissions. Some examples include peat fires, which can last for several
219:
Spotting refers to the transport of burning pieces of firebrand by wind which may ignite new fires beyond the main fire. Spotting requires wind, and the firebrand often comes from a torching tree. There are two types of spotting: short-range spotting and long-range spotting. Short-range spotting
130:
A type of cumulonimbus cloud that forms above a heat source, typically a wildfire or volcano. Pyrocumulonimbus clouds can produce lightning, hail, erratic winds, and even tornadoes. However, they are not typically associated with significant precipitation. Typically indicative of intense fire
396:
A column collapse occurs when the fire is no longer able to sustain its column, causing the column to collapse to the ground. It can send embers far from the fire past control lines and intensify the fire. This can pose a significant danger to firefighters.
712:
592:
Peterson, David A.; Fromm, Michael D.; McRae, Richard H. D.; Campbell, James R.; Hyer, Edward J.; Taha, Ghassan; Camacho, Christopher P.; Kablick, George P.; Schmidt, Chris C.; Deland, Matthew T. (2021).
220:
occurs when the spot fire is not very far from the main fire, so it gets overrun. In long-range spotting, firebrands are often carried by a convection column away from the main fire area.
177:
This occurs when the fire's behavior is mostly controlled by winds generated by the fire's own plume. This could lead to erratic conditions such as a column collapse and rapid runs.
241:
This occurs when the fire burns the foliage of trees from the bottom up. Occurs in crown fires, and tends to reinforce or increase the rate of spread. May lead to spotting.
861:
732:
198:
This occurs when the head of the fire rapidly advances, along with an increase in fire intensity and rate of spread. May pose a danger to firefighters.
161:
74:
The following is a list of different types of wildfire behaviors. Many types of fire behaviors are known, but some still not fully understood.
571:
139:
A pyrocumulonimbus cloud created by the Creek Fire (2020). This photo is from the United States Forest
Service, with no provided date.
373:
Two counter-rotating(one clockwise, one counterclockwise) vortices rotating around one another. May be dangerous to firefighters.
1015:
595:"Australia's Black Summer pyrocumulonimbus super outbreak reveals potential for increasingly extreme stratospheric smoke events"
1040:
853:
792:
854:"The Giant Fire Whirl From California's Carr Fire Produced Damage Similar to an EF3 Tornado in Redding, an NWS Survey Found"
832:
483:
407:
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442:
125:
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This occurs when the fire burns with a low flame and spreads slowly. Typically easier to control than crown fires.
103:
A dense cumuliform cloud associated with fire or a volcanic eruption. Includes the pyrocumulus and the larger
772:
352:
505:"Understanding the critical elements of the pyrocumulonimbus storm sparked by high-intensity wildland fire"
752:
185:
Typical appearance of a plume-dominated fire. This picture was taken at the Silver Fire in Oregon in 1987.
960:
908:
294:
249:
Picture of trees being torched by a wildfire. Taken in the Tetlin
National Wildlife Reserve in Alaska.
606:
516:
412:
98:
713:"Timelapse Shows North Complex Fire's 'Historic Run' Toward Oroville in California's Butte County"
35:
1101:
306:
204:
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A counter-rotating vortex pair produced by the Mill Fire in 2024. Note the bifurcated plume.
147:
Satellite imagery of the Creek Fire cumulonimbus cloud. Taken by MODIS on
September 5, 2020.
104:
692:
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884:
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936:"California's largest single wildfire spawned two massive firenados – one was an EF2"
504:
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551:"Pyrocumulonimbus clouds with lightning produced by the Dixie Fire in California"
883:
McRae, Rick; Sharples, Jason; Wikles, Stephen; Walker, Alan (October 12, 2012).
403:
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529:
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Fromm, Michael; Servranckx, René; Stocks, Brian J.; Peterson, David A. (2022).
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733:"The Dixie Fire Has Destroyed Most Of A Historic Northern California Town"
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Diagram of how spotting occurs and the factors contributing to spotting
1016:"The smoke column collapse — what is it and why is it such a concern?"
224:
245:
753:"Quantifying rare events in spotting: How far do wildfires spread?"
376:
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572:"California's Creek Fire Creates Its Own Pyrocumulonimbus Cloud"
18:
1041:"Time lapse shows 'fire cloud' collapsing in Thomas Fire"
1064:
1062:
49:
39:
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A Pyrocumulus cloud created by the Boise Fire (2024).
1071:"How the biggest wildfires create their own weather"
833:"Video shows a vortex form in the Park Fire smoke"
961:"El Dorado Incident Counter Rotating Vortex Pair"
915:. National Weather Service Reno. January 29, 2021
909:"Loyalton Fire: Fire Tornado Forces Quick Action"
667:
665:
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126:Cumulonimbus flammagenitus/pyrocumulonimbus
641:"Carr Fire pyrocumulonimbus in California"
885:"An Australian pyro-tornadogenesis event"
618:
528:
484:"Explanatory Remarks and Special Clouds"
77:
439:"Pyrocumulus entry in the AMS Glossary"
430:
509:Communications Earth & Environment
370:Counter-rotating vortex pair(CRVP/CVP)
270:Typical appearance of a creeping fire.
1014:Condon, Michael (September 1, 2021).
7:
773:"Crown Fire: Spotting Fire Behavior"
852:Erdman, Jonathan (August 3, 2018).
599:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
934:Selva, Jenn (September 24, 2020).
864:from the original on 5 August 2018
162:2019–20 Australian bushfire season
14:
1069:Fredenburgh, Jez (May 13, 2021).
673:"NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire"
340:A fire tornado on the Park Fire.
327:Fire whirl/Fire tornado/Firenado
23:
987:"Counter Rotating Vortex Pairs"
445:from the original on 2022-12-19
290:are a type of smoldering fire.
1:
693:"Plume-Dominated Fire Safety"
174:Plume-dominated fire behavior
107:(Cumulonimbus Flammagenitus).
408:June 2017 Portugal wildfires
1118:
620:10.1038/s41612-021-00192-9
530:10.1038/s43247-022-00566-8
305:deep in the soil of the
353:2003 Canberra bushfires
79:List of fire behaviors
38:, as no other articles
793:"Stages of Crown Fire"
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16:List of fire behaviors
813:"Fire Whirl Research"
464:"Flammagenitus Types"
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965:storymaps.arcgis.com
913:storymaps.arcgis.com
413:2017 Chile wildfires
1047:. December 14, 2017
995:. November 16, 2023
858:The Weather Channel
611:2021npCAS...4...38P
521:2022ComEE...3..243F
309:, on the border of
99:Flammagenitus cloud
80:
574:. 8 September 2020
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307:Great Dismal Swamp
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205:North Complex Fire
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93:Notable Occasions
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57:for suggestions.
47:to this page from
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363:Creek Fire (2020)
157:Creek Fire (2020)
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643:. 27 July 2018
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553:. 19 July 2021
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1080:9 September
1051:9 September
1025:9 September
1020:Plumas News
945:9 September
868:16 February
404:Thomas Fire
300:smouldering
87:Description
62:August 2024
999:August 30,
971:August 30,
919:August 30,
893:August 30,
838:2024-08-22
818:2024-08-22
798:2024-08-16
778:2024-09-12
758:2024-09-12
738:2024-08-18
718:2024-08-17
698:2024-08-15
678:2024-08-15
647:2024-08-15
626:2024-08-15
578:2024-08-15
557:2024-08-15
536:2024-08-15
515:(1): 243.
489:2024-08-15
469:2024-08-14
449:2024-08-14
425:References
281:Smoldering
209:Dixie Fire
153:Dixie Fire
53:; try the
40:link to it
1102:Wildfires
605:(1): 38.
350:Carr Fire
346:Park Fire
303:peat fire
167:Carr Fire
131:activity.
43:. Please
1096:Category
862:Archived
443:Archived
311:Virginia
286:months.
259:Creeping
238:Torching
216:Spotting
90:Examples
992:YouTube
607:Bibcode
517:Bibcode
195:Running
36:orphan
34:is an
888:(PDF)
321:Many
275:Many
254:Many
233:Many
190:Many
120:Many
1082:2024
1053:2024
1045:KSBW
1027:2024
1001:2024
973:2024
947:2024
921:2024
895:2024
870:2019
313:and
84:Name
1075:BBC
940:CNN
615:doi
525:doi
400:N/A
201:N/A
1098::
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