Scorching Column (3.5e Spell)

A tall tornado of heat and fire whirled up from the ground, the occational tongue of flame licking out at those who draw too close.

You create one column of flame per three caster levels, 30 feet tall and 5 feet wide. They are small short lived elemental creatures powered by your magic with the barest of life of their own. You create them anywhere in the area, though you cannot create them in a space occupied by a creature. Those that pass through the column of fire take 4d6 fire damage, no save. Each round as a free action on your turn you can move each column of fire up to 20 feet. The fire columns cannot make attacks of their own, cannot enter a creature's space, and cannot cross over water. However they do threaten out to 5 feet and may make infinite attacks of opportunity using your caster level + your casting ability modifier as your attack roll, and dealing 4d6 fire damage on the attack. With multiple columns you can have them move in lockstep to form walls, or surround a target to limit their mobility options and threaten them with attacks of opportunity everywhere.

The flame columns cannot be attacked physically, no more than actual fire, but any [Water] spell of a higher spell level instally dispels the affected columns.

The flame columns can be directed not to set fire to their surroundings, allowing them to pass over grass and foilage without threat of accidental fire.