On Tuesday afternoon, a rare 100 foot hight "firenado" tore through the Australian outback, where it is reported that firefighters have been fighting brush fires for almost a week. These rare firenados occur when ground level tornado-like winds come into close contact with fire, thus propelling the flames upwards. Though firenados usually last no longer than two minutes, this one in particular lasted forty minutes! Like many parts of the world, Australia is suffering from drought and hasn't seen rainfall since the end of April. These intense dry conditions make for a perfect environment for brush fires, which then led to this firenado. It is evident with stories like this, along with the wildfires that are currently ripping through western United States, that drought is a big environmental hazard that has a huge impact on society and nature.
This 100-foot tall firenado ripped through the Australian outback on 9/18/2012
For more information on this story, along with footage of the firenado caught on camera by Australian filmaker Chris Tangey, please visit the following site:
Firenado Caught on Video by Australian Filmaker
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