A NASA high-altitude research aircraft conducted flights over the wildfires in British Columbia over the weekend to enhance understanding of weather phenomena triggered 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, Mont., for a flight lasting over six hours. Flight data from Flightradar24 revealed that 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, before heading east over Lake Revelstoke and back into U.S. airspace.

NASA’s research mission focuses on studying pyrocumulonimbus clouds, described as one of the most enigmatic severe weather systems on Earth. The B.C. Wildfire Service reports that the Pear Lake wildfire, spanning nearly 1,500 square kilometers, has produced these clouds, formed by intense smoke and heat, which can lead to rain, lightning, and fire whirlwinds.

The ER-2, a modified Cold War reconnaissance aircraft known as the U-2, is equipped with advanced infrared wildfire sensors to collect data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds. NASA emphasizes that these storms, characterized by smoky conditions and lightning, can pose risks to aircraft and ignite new fires. Real-time monitoring and analysis of these hazardous events will aid in future forecasting efforts.