Tornado of Fire

Caught on camera: The 30 metre high tornado of FIRE that whirled around Australian outback for terrifying 40 minutes

Fire tornadoes occur when a column of warm, rising air contacts with - or creates - fire on the ground

An astonished filmmaker is coming to grips with the moment he witnessed one of nature's rarest phenomenons - a tornado comprised entirely of fire- and lived to tell the tale.

Chris Tangey had been out in Alice Springs, Australia, scouting locations for a new movie.

After finishing the task, he went over to help workers at a cattle station when he was confronted by one of nature's most intimidating spectacles.