A NASA high-altitude research aircraft conducted flights over British Columbia’s wildfires during the weekend to enhance understanding of weather patterns triggered by large fires. Data from online aviation tracking revealed that the ER-2 plane flew multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday in a journey lasting over six hours, originating from Great Falls, Mont.
Flight data from the Flightradar24 website indicated that the aircraft spent approximately four hours at an altitude of 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire has been raging. It also veered east over Lake Revelstoke before reentering U.S. airspace.
The ER-2 aircraft, a converted Cold War spy plane also known as the U-2, has a history of setting altitude records, flying up to twice the typical height of commercial flights. NASA stated on its website that the ER-2 is specifically studying pyrocumulonimbus clouds, described as one of the most enigmatic forms of severe weather on Earth.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the Pear Lake wildfire, covering nearly 1,500 square kilometers, has generated pyrocumulonimbus clouds due to intense smoke and heat, leading to phenomena like rain, lightning, and fire tornadoes. NASA equipped the aircraft with advanced infrared wildfire trackers to gather data on these unique weather events.
The agency emphasized the importance of monitoring and analyzing these storms in real-time to aid in future forecasting efforts. NASA highlighted that these storms, characterized by smoke and lightning, can pose risks to aviators above and contribute to the ignition of new fires on the ground.