In most VFX libraries, fire stands still. With Windy Fires, it doesn’t.

This new collection from ActionVFX was built specifically for shots in motion; explosions racing past camera, fire rolling across vehicles, or flames reacting to atmospheric re-entry. 49 practical elements, captured in real-world wind conditions, Windy Fires brings cinematic movement that CG can’t fake.

But what makes it work is it's authenticity.

We sat down with Zac VanHoy, Asset Development Supervisor, to talk about the production behind this collection and what makes these elements different.

Fire in Wind

“I wanted to bring something fresh to our library that I've never seen done anywhere else,” Zac says.

Where simulations struggle to deliver natural variance, practical fire reacts in unexpected ways. That’s exactly what makes it feel real and why we knew we had to shoot it live. It was about solving a visual gap many artists face: stock fire that doesn’t respond to motion.

Why Film Practically?

“CG has its place, but real fire gives you behaviour you’d never design on your own” Zac explains.

With a full FX team on set and a pyrotechnician leading the fire rigs, we dialed in specific fuel types and wind speeds to push flame behavior across a wide range — all while maintaining safety and control.

"The biggest challenge we faced was getting the fire to burn large enough and long enough in the high winds. Simply putting fuel on a surface wasn't going to work. Our pyrotechnician brought some great ideas to the table and helped us solve this problem using specific types of fuel and foam to soak in the fuel and give us a longer burn time in the strong winds."

Capturing Fire That Feels Dangerous

Filmed with the RED V-RAPTOR 8K, every element was captured with cinematic exposure, controlled motion blur, and high-speed slow motion where needed. ND filters were key to preserving detail while maintaining depth of field and clean ISO ranges. "The benefit of filming real fire is that you don't have to worry about it not looking real, because that's impossible."

The collection includes:

6 angles (including at-camera shots)

Multiple wind intensities

Real-time and slow-motion options

Pre-keyed EXR, ProRes 4444, and R3D

2K, 5K, and 6K resolutions

Paired with smart compositing, real fire offers depth and light play that’s hard to fake. And when you’re building sequences under tight timelines, that realism helps speed up creative approvals and reduce the need for simulation clean-up.

Final Thoughts from Zac

"I hope they feel excited and thankful for time saved. I hope they feel the excitement because the assets help them take there shot to a level that exceeds their expectations and I hope they feel thankful because the assets help save them time and money from having to do sims or higher on-set pyrotechnicians."

Explore the Collection

Windy Fires is available now. Grab production-ready fire that moves with your shot.

View the Collection → Windy Fires

49 clips. Pre-keyed. Cinematic motion. Real wind.

Now available in EXR, ProRes, and R3D — in 2K, 5K, and 6K.