A NASA research aircraft conducted flights over the wildfires in British Columbia over the weekend to enhance understanding of weather patterns produced by large fires. The ER-2 plane was tracked online flying multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday, departing from Great Falls, Montana, on a six-hour journey. Flight data from the Flightradar24 website reveals that the aircraft spent around four hours at an altitude of 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire is active. It also flew east over Lake Revelstoke before returning to U.S. airspace.
NASA’s research with the ER-2 focuses on pyrocumulonimbus clouds, described as one of the Earth’s least understood severe weather phenomena. The B.C. Wildfire Service notes that the Pear Lake wildfire, covering nearly 1,500 square kilometers, has generated these clouds due to extreme smoke and heat, leading to the potential formation of rain, lightning, and fire tornadoes.
The ER-2 aircraft, a modified Cold War spy plane known as the U-2, has achieved altitude records far exceeding typical commercial flight levels. Fitted with advanced infrared wildfire trackers, the aircraft collects data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds. NASA emphasizes the importance of monitoring these unique storms, as they can pose risks to aviators and ignite new fires. Real-time measurement and mapping of these phenomena will aid in future forecasting efforts.
