Science & Technology
Chasing 'Fire Clouds' to Understand Wildfire Extremes
The Cooperative Autumn Wildland Fire-Aircraft Experiment (CAWFE), a collaboration involving NASA and other institutions, conducted research over major wildfires in Utah in 2018. Using a high-altitude NASA ER-2 aircraft equipped with specialized instruments, scientists flew above massive smoke plumes to study the development of pyrocumulonimbus clouds. These 'fire clouds' are essentially thunderstorms created by the intense heat of a wildfire. The project aimed to understand their internal structure, composition, and how they transport smoke and other emissions into the upper atmosphere, which has implications for weather forecasting, fire behavior modeling, and climate science.
By Obvious Later Editorial · Updated
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What changed
Previously, direct, high-altitude observation of the internal dynamics of pyrocumulonimbus clouds was rare. The CAWFE project provided an unprecedented opportunity to gather detailed data from above these extreme weather phenomena as they formed, offering a new level of insight into their structure and how they interact with the atmosphere.
Why it matters
Understanding pyrocumulonimbus clouds is critical because they represent one of the most extreme forms of wildfire behavior. These systems can generate their own weather, including lightning that can ignite new fires, and can loft smoke into the stratosphere, where it can persist for months and affect atmospheric chemistry and climate on a broad scale. Improved understanding can lead to better fire behavior models, enhancing safety for firefighters and the public.
The surprising part
The public often sees wildfire smoke as a ground-level or regional air quality issue. Many are unaware that large fires can create their own powerful weather systems that function like thunderstorms. These 'fire clouds' are not just passive plumes; they actively alter the atmosphere, create dangerous downdrafts, and can transport pollutants to altitudes typically reached only by major volcanic eruptions.
By the numbers
Straight from the source, no rounding.
- 60,000A NASA ER-2 aircraft, flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, was used to carry instruments for observing the smoke plumes.
- The Cooperative Autumn Wildland Fire-Aircraft Experiment (CAWFE) studied pyrocumulus and pyrocumulonimbus clouds generated by the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires in Utah in 2018.
- Pyrocumulonimbus clouds, or 'fire clouds,' are thunderstorms generated by the intense heat of a wildfire.
- These clouds can create their own weather, including strong winds and lightning, and can inject smoke into the stratosphere.
- The research aims to understand the composition of the clouds and how they transport smoke into the upper atmosphere.
What to watch next
How we'll know if this is real.
Next
The publication of scientific papers based on the data collected during the CAWFE campaign.
Next
Updates to fire behavior and weather forecasting models that incorporate findings on pyroconvection.
Next
Future airborne science campaigns designed to study other large-scale wildfires and their atmospheric effects.
Evidence and sources
Citations link to the primary sources used to compile this signal.