A high-altitude NASA research aircraft has flown over major wildfires in British Columbia as scientists work to better understand the extreme weather systems generated by large-scale fires.
The agency’s ER-2 Earth Resources aircraft, a modified U-2 aircraft used for airborne science missions, flew repeated passes over B.C.’s southern Interior on Aug. 8, including the Clinton area near the Pear Lake wildfire. The aircraft operated at around 60,000 feet while collecting data on pyrocumulonimbus clouds — fire-generated thunderstorm systems that can produce lightning, dangerous winds, rain and, in extreme cases, fire tornadoes.
NASA said the mission is designed to measure and map these severe fire-driven storms in real time so researchers can improve forecasts and better anticipate how wildfire smoke and heat affect aviation safety, fire spread and atmospheric conditions.
The flight comes as Canada continues to face a volatile wildfire season, with federal and provincial agencies increasingly turning to satellite, aircraft and remote-sensing technology to track fire behavior, smoke movement and burn intensity. While the NASA aircraft is not involved in firefighting operations, the data gathered could help scientists develop better tools for predicting hazardous fire weather and supporting future wildfire management decisions.
