inferno

An inferno is a huge and intense fire that's very hard to control. Imagine a massive blaze sweeping through a city or a forest.

When we talk about an inferno, it's usually because of its severity and danger. Think about big fires you see on TV or in movies – they're often described as infernos. For example, if there's been a huge warehouse fire that's destroyed the whole building, people might say it was an inferno. The word also gets used to describe smaller fires, but only if they're really intense and spreading fast. Firefighters will often talk about battling an inferno when they're trying to put out a massive blaze.