Video of a so-called firenado has been circulating on social media was actually filmed on the shores of Gun Lake, northwest of Lillooet.
The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the “fire whirl” or fire tornado was the result of the cold front that passed through the province late last week and caused the strong winds that fed fires across the BC Interior.
On the Bendor Range Complex, which includes several large fires burning near Lillooet, the cold front swept through between 3 am and 6 am on Aug. 17.
Video was recorded by overnight ground crews working in the area.
Last week, a cold front passed through the province following several days of hot, dry weather. pic.twitter.com/fHbPsizjbr
— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 22, 2023
That weather system brought incredibly strong winds, low relative humidity and a drastically reduced dew point, says the BCWS.
“With this combination of conditions and fire behaviour, fire intensity was more extreme during this overnight period, reaching intensities that hadn’t been seen even during the day,” the agency explains.
“As shown in the video, the combination of high fire intensity, strong winds and air mass instability resulted in the formation of a fire whirl (otherwise known as a fire tornado) over Gun Lake.”
Fire whirls are an incredibly rare phenomenon, says the agency. They form a vertically oriented column and rapidly rotating gas and flame.
Another factor that caused the awe-inspiring column of fire was the complex terrain near Gun Lake.
The downslope winds fed by the hills and the impacts of the cold front provided the unique and necessary conditions for the column to form.
The Downton Lake wildfire is estimated at 7,382 hectares and has been burning since July 13.
