Trash Can Fire Tornado: Does It Really Happen?

[RubinLicht]

Why does this happen?



When the trash can is not moving, the air gets drawn in through the mesh and flows more or less straight to the fire. I'm thinking that a rotating trashcan "pushes" the wind in the direction that it's rotating, so that the wind no longer blows towards the fire, but "around" the fire. is this correct?

 

[RubinLicht]

but also, the fire tends to get much bigger once it starts spinning, why is that?

 

[sophiecentaur]

but also, the fire tends to get much bigger once it starts spinning, why is that?

I think the pressure at the bottom of the rotating flame (vortex) becomes lower and that increases the flow of fresh air to the burning fuel,