An awe-struck filmmaker has told of the moment he witnessed one of nature's rarest phenomena - a fire tornado.

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

After
finishing he went over to help workers at a cattle station when he was
confronted by one of nature's most intimidating spectacles.Just 300 metres away was a 30-metre high fire swirl which "sounded like a fighter jet", despite there being no wind in the area.