You Have To See This Terrifying “Fire Tornado”

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.