Violent convection caused by a large, continuous area of intense fire. Often characterized by destructively violent surface indrafts, near and beyond the perimeter, and sometimes by tornado-like fire whirls.
(noun) 1 : a large usually stationary fire characterized by very high temperatures in which the central column of rising heated air induces strong inward winds which supply oxygen to the fire; 2 : a sudden or violent outburst (Merriam-Webster's Unabridged at www.m-w.com) (date: 1945)
Stationary mass fire, generally in builtup urban areas, causing strong, inrushing winds from all sides; the winds keep the fires from spreading while adding fresh oxygen to increase their intensity.
a storm in which violent winds are drawn into the column of hot air rising over a severely bombed area
an outburst of controversy; "the incident triggered a political firestorm"
also called a blowup, it is the most explosive and violent type of wildfire.
A mass conflagration of fire, a blowup.
A hurricane of fire that could reach 800 degrees centigrade and 90 miles per hour. These were common in German cities bombed by the Allies
Extreme fire behavior indicated by widespread in-drafts and a tall column of smoke and flame, where added air increases fire intensity, creating runaway fire growth.
A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires, forest fires, and wildfires. The Great Peshtigo Fire is one example of a firestorm.