Massive fire burning in California and Nevada is spawning dangerous 'fire whirls'

A massive fire burning across both California and Nevada is generating extreme fire behavior, spawning "fire whirls" and creating dangerous conditions for firefighters, authorities said.

The fire, dubbed the York Fire, which is California's largest fire of the year, has consumed 80,000 acres as of Tuesday morning. The blaze began Friday in the New York Mountain Range of California's Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada Sunday as winds picked up under scorching temperatures.

Firefighters were able to gain some control of the fire Monday night and by Tuesday morning the York Fire was 23% contained.

"An infrared flight was completed last night, which provided a better assessment of fire size and activity," the National Parks Service said on Tuesday.

The blaze is among dozens of wildfires burning around the country as some areas swelter under unrelenting heat - including one fire raging on both sides of the US-Canadian border.

The fire on the California-Nevada state line is still "growing rapidly" and creating extreme conditions that are making it more dangerous and difficult to control, fire officials said Monday night.

Firefighters battling the blaze have seen fire whirls - "a vortex of flames and smoke that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, creating a spinning column of fire," the Mojave National Preserve said Sunday.