A NASA high-altitude research aircraft conducted flights over British Columbia’s wildfires to gain insights into the meteorological phenomena triggered by large fires. Tracking data revealed that the ER-2 plane flew multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday, embarking on a more than six-hour journey originating from Great Falls, Montana.
Flight records from the Flightradar24 platform depicted the aircraft spending approximately four hours at 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire has been raging. The aircraft also navigated east over Lake Revelstoke before reentering U.S. airspace.
NASA’s official website disclosed that the ER-2 is specifically investigating pyrocumulonimbus clouds, characterized as one of the Earth’s most enigmatic severe weather phenomena. The B.C. Wildfire Service highlighted that the Pear Lake blaze, spanning nearly 1,500 square kilometers, has spawned these clouds through intense smoke and heat, potentially leading to rain, lightning, and fire whirlwinds.
The ER-2, a retrofitted Cold War reconnaissance aircraft known as the U-2, boasts a history of achieving extreme altitude flights, surpassing the typical cruising altitude of commercial planes by double. Equipped with cutting-edge infrared wildfire sensors, the aircraft is designed to collect crucial data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds.
NASA emphasized the significance of monitoring these unique storms in real-time, citing their potential to obstruct aerial visibility and ignite additional fires. By meticulously measuring and charting the evolution of these hazardous weather events, scientists aim to enhance future forecasting capabilities.