Science, Tech, Math › Science Fire Tornado Project How to Make a Fire Tornado Share Flipboard Email Print A Fire Tornado in a Santa Ana Wildfire in 2008. David McNew/Getty Images News Science Chemistry Activities for Kids Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Updated July 03, 2019 A fire tornado forms when fire is caught up in a vortex. Fire tornadoes or fire devils occur naturally in some wildfires, but you can make a small scale fire tornado yourself. Here's how: Fire Tornado Materials In order to produce a fire tornado, you'll need a source of fire and the ability to create an air vortex or whirlwind. The fire tornado is made by placing a container of fire onto a spinning surface. A cylinder of mesh or screening forces the air into a column to force air into a vortex. lazy susan or table or chair that can rotate freelycontainer of fire (e.g., fireproof bowl containing pieces of sponge sprinkled with lighter fluid or alcohol)cylinder of wire mesh or screen with diameter to fit outside the fire bowl. Make the mesh cylinder by rolling a sheet of metal window screening or chicken wire into a tube. Be sure the tube is wide enough to fit around the container you'll be using for fire. Staple the ends of the tube to secure it into a cylindrical shape. Create the Fire Tornado Practice this set-up without igniting the fire to be sure your container won't go spinning off. It's a good idea to secure the bowl and screen tube to the lazy susan with tape or glue so that it won't go flying off when you spin the fire. It's also a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case. Set the fireproof bowl in the center of the lazy susan. Secure the bottom so the bowl will remain stable when spun.Place the sponge with lighter fluid into the bowl.Set the metal mesh cylinder around the bowl. See if you can spin the lazy susan without incident. You may need to secure the cylinder.Once you are confident of your set-up, ignite the fire in the bowl and slowly start spinning the lazy susan. See a video of this project or make a green fire tornado. Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website. Continue Reading