Techniques discussed are:

1. Using FluidFX to drive particles
2. Optimising animation workflow

Fluid Sprites

Maya complete, rendered project is here

Animating sprites using fluids (Maya 2008)

Rendering the fluid sprite example :

http://www.modernmayhem.com/fluidspritesrendering.html

Rendering the road dust layer from the tornado project (coming up next)

http://www.modernmayhem.com/renderingtornadopart1.html