A NASA high-altitude research aircraft conducted flights over the wildfires in British Columbia over the weekend to enhance the understanding of weather phenomena triggered by large fires. The ER-2 plane, as per online aviation tracking data, flew multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday in a flight lasting over six hours originating from Great Falls, Montana. Specifically, the aircraft spent around four hours at an altitude of 60,000 feet over the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire is active, before heading east over Lake Revelstoke and back into U.S. airspace.
NASA’s research focuses on pyrocumulonimbus clouds, described as among the most enigmatic severe weather occurrences on Earth. The B.C. Wildfire Service notes that the Pear Lake wildfire, spanning nearly 1,500 square kilometers and the largest in B.C., has led to the formation of these clouds due to intense smoke and heat, potentially resulting in rain, lightning, and fire whirlwinds.
The ER-2, a refurbished Cold War spy plane, also known as the U-2, has a history of setting altitude flight records, surpassing commercial flight altitudes by up to twice as much. Equipped with advanced infrared wildfire tracking technology, the aircraft gathers crucial data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which NASA states can pose risks to air travel and ignite new fires. By monitoring and mapping these hazardous storms in real-time, scientists aim to improve future forecasting capabilities.