When you see videos of a firenado, it’s easy to think you’re looking at a tornado. After all, both are spinning columns of air. But they’re actually very different phenomena.
A tornado forms from a thunderstorm developing in an atmosphere where winds change speed and direction at different levels. That creates rotation inside the storm, which can eventually tighten into a tornado.
A firenado forms from intense heat generated by a wildfire. The fire creates powerful rising air and strong inflow near the surface. If conditions are right, that airflow can organize into a rotating vortex of smoke, ash, and sometimes flames.
So, the easiest way to remember the difference is this: a tornado gets its spin from the atmosphere and the thunderstorm that forms within it. A firenado gets its spin from the intense heat and airflow generated by the fire itself. A firenado is much closer to a dust devil!
Now, some of the strongest wildfires can actually create their own thunderstorms, and in very rare cases, those fire-generated storms can produce tornado-like vortices. But most of the time, a firenado and a tornado are two different things that just happen to look remarkably similar.
Wind speeds in a firenado can exceed 100 miles per hour. Those powerful winds can lift burning embers into the air and push them far away from the main fire. Even potentially miles out!