A NASA research aircraft conducted flights over the wildfires in British Columbia over the weekend to enhance understanding of weather phenomena triggered by large fires. The ER-2 plane flew multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday in a journey lasting over six hours, departing from Great Falls, Montana.
Data from the Flightradar24 site revealed that the aircraft spent around four hours at 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire is active. It also veered east over Lake Revelstoke before returning to U.S. airspace.
NASA’s mission focused on studying pyrocumulonimbus clouds, described as one of the least comprehended severe weather types on Earth. The B.C. Wildfire Service noted that the Pear Lake wildfire, encompassing nearly 1,500 square kilometers, has produced such clouds due to extreme smoke and heat, leading to rain, lightning, and fire whirlwinds.
The ER-2, a converted Cold War spy plane based on the U-2, has a history of reaching extreme altitudes, surpassing typical commercial flight heights. Equipped with advanced infrared wildfire sensors, the aircraft gathers data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds to aid in real-time monitoring and forecasting of these hazardous weather events.
NASA stated that these unique storms, characterized by smoke and lightning, can pose risks to aircraft above and ignite new fires below. By tracking and analyzing these storms as they evolve, scientists aim to enhance future forecasting capabilities.