A cornfield fire in Leighton, Alabama, on Saturday generated a dangerous smokenado due to strong winds fueling the blaze.
LEIGHTON, Ala. – A ferocious grass fire, fueled by relentless winds, raged across Alabama farmland over the weekend.
As the flames danced and twisted on Saturday afternoon in Leighton, a terrifying smoke vortex known as a “smokenado” was created, which loomed ominously over the landscape as firefighters fought to contain the blaze.
In a video filmed by Nitrate City Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Jordan Davis, the fire’s smoke could be seen swirling into a twister-like formation as firefighters maintained a safe distance.
A ferocious grass fire, fueled by relentless winds, raged across Alabama farmland over the weekend.
(Nitrate City Volunteer Fire Department)
Aid from multiple jurisdictions rushed to Davis’ call for help as crews worked tirelessly to contain the fire, which had consumed approximately one acre of land.
“We couldn’t have been able to handle this fire without all the help from the responding agencies … and the man upstairs for listening to our prayer to bring a rain shower over us,” Davis said.
Forest experts say smokenadoes, while often harmless, can pose a significant risk to firefighters by causing erratic fire behavior. They typically form when warm air rises and creates a swirling eddy.
Gusty winds, reaching speeds of up to 32 mph, were recorded in the nearby town of Muscle Shoals around the time of the cornfield fire.