Well, this is what nightmares are made of.
It turns out fire tornadoes are a real thing — and one was captured on film by a firefighter near the Beaver Creek Fire — a wildfire that has been raging 24 miles north of Walden, CO, since mid-June. Video and a photo of flames spiraling into the air were posted on a Facebook page created to share information about the fire. A spokesperson for local fire officials confirmed to Refinery29 that the image is real.
Despite its scary name, this event — also called a fire whirl — isn't the terrifying love child of a wildfire and a tornado.
Unlike an actual twister, which is caused by conditions high up in the atmosphere, this phenomenon happens when hot, dry air close to the ground rises quickly in a vertical column, according to Live Science.
A fire tornado is incredibly dangerous because, despite being short-lived, it is also a literal column of fire.
Looking at it, we could also theorize that this event is actually the Eye of Sauron 2.0. Your choice.
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