NASA’s high-altitude research aircraft recently conducted flights over British Columbia’s wildfires to study the weather phenomena caused by large fires. The ER-2 plane, operated by NASA, undertook multiple passes over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday, covering more than a dozen flight paths over a duration of over six hours. Departing from Great Falls, Montana, the aircraft spent approximately four hours at an altitude of 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the extensive Pear Lake wildfire is active. It then navigated eastward over Lake Revelstoke before reentering U.S. airspace.
NASA’s research focus with the ER-2 aircraft includes studying pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which are described as one of the least understood severe weather phenomena on Earth. These clouds have been observed in association with the Pear Lake wildfire, which spans nearly 1,500 square kilometers and has been generating extreme smoke and heat. The resulting pyrocumulonimbus clouds can trigger rain, lightning, and fire tornadoes, as noted by the B.C. Wildfire Service.
The ER-2 aircraft, a modified Cold War spy plane derived from the U-2 model, holds altitude records exceeding typical commercial flight heights. Equipped with advanced infrared wildfire tracking systems, the ER-2 aircraft captures crucial data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds. NASA emphasizes the significance of monitoring these unique storms in real-time to enhance future forecasting capabilities and mitigate associated risks to aviation and fire management.
The research conducted by NASA’s ER-2 aircraft is pivotal in advancing understanding and preparedness for wildfire-induced weather events.