A firestorm is a particularly devastating form of fire that occurs when certain environmental conditions are present.
Features:
(1) There is a high density of highly combustible material over a very large area, with some of the material extending several stories into the air.
(2) An intense fire begins that gets out of control.
(3) Updrafts are created in the center of the fire as the heat rises above the fire, sucking in colder air from around the fire and functioning like a bellows to fan the flames further.
(4) Temperatures in the center of the fire are very high, reaching temperatures of 2,000 °C or more. This is sufficient to vaporize people and melt metals.
(5) The airflow in and around the fire become intense and may become gale-force. These can lift people or objects off the ground. Fire tornadoes may develop.
Situations where firestorms have occurred:
(1) large urban fires
(2) firebombing of cities during war (Dresden during World War II)
(3) nuclear explosions
(4) forest fires
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