The eerie fire whirl spotted spinning as the Palisades Fire swept through Los Angeles neighborhoods Friday night was a “firenado,” a common yet chilling phenomenon.

The birth of a firenado begins with the immense heat from a wildfire. This heat causes the air above the fire to rise swiftly, creating a powerful updraft. As the hot air rises, cooler air rushes ...

Following is the text of the video. This is a "firenado," or fire tornado. It formed out of wildfires in Arganil, Portugal. Firenados are swirling columns of fire, but they aren't really tornados.