A NASA high-altitude research aircraft conducted flights above the wildfires in British Columbia over the weekend to enhance understanding of weather phenomena triggered by large fires. Flight tracking data revealed that the ER-2 plane flew multiple times over B.C.’s southern Interior on Saturday, departing from Great Falls, Montana, for a six-hour mission. Notably, it spent approximately four hours at 60,000 feet above the Clinton area, where the significant Pear Lake wildfire is active, before heading east towards Lake Revelstoke and back into U.S. airspace.

NASA’s research with the ER-2 aircraft focuses on studying pyrocumulonimbus clouds, considered one of the most enigmatic severe weather forms on Earth. These clouds, generated by the intense smoke and heat of wildfires like the Pear Lake blaze, can lead to the creation of rain, lightning, and fire tornadoes, as highlighted by the B.C. Wildfire Service.

The ER-2, a modified Cold War spy plane also known as the U-2, is renowned for its extreme altitude capabilities, surpassing commercial flight altitudes by a significant margin. Equipped with cutting-edge infrared wildfire trackers, the aircraft gathers crucial data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds. NASA emphasizes the importance of monitoring these storms in real-time to improve future forecasting and mitigate potential risks to aviation and firefighting efforts.

The research aims to enhance the understanding of how wildfires influence weather patterns, ultimately aiding in the development of more accurate predictive models and strategies for managing wildfire-related weather events.