NASA Scientists Sampled Wildfire Smoke Plumes

Researchers flew aircraft into wildfire-generated storm clouds to improve future weather and fire forecasting models.

Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Environmental

Isometric editorial illustration of a research aircraft flying near a large, geometric smoke plume, representing atmospheric data collection for weather science. — NASA scientists recently concluded the INSPYRE mission, using specialized aircraft to gather atmospheric data from wildfire-generated storm clouds to refine future weather predictive models. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe funding scientific research into extreme weather events helps protect your local community?

The multi-agency INSPYRE mission recently concluded its first summer deployment of aircraft to study pyrocumulonimbus clouds. Scientists flew directly into smoke plumes and tracked fire-generated storms to better understand their atmospheric structure.

Why it matters

Understanding how wildfires trigger these intense storm clouds is vital for improving predictive weather and fire models. As these phenomena become more frequent globally, better data collection helps meteorologists anticipate the behavior of extreme fire events.

The INSPYRE team utilized NASA ER-2 aircraft for high-altitude remote sensing alongside the NCAR Gulfstream V, which sampled smoke chemistry directly. Ground-based radar and lidar systems provided synchronized tracking of the fire-induced cloud structures.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the United States government agency responsible for the civil space program and aeronautics research.

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

This is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps that conducts scientific research.

National Center for Atmospheric Research

NCAR is a federally funded research and development center focused on atmospheric and related sciences.

The details

Researchers sampled the tops of smoke plumes and clouds to gather data on how pyrocumulonimbus clouds form and persist. The team tracked a massive smoke plume originating in Siberia that crossed the Pacific Ocean to reach Idaho, highlighting the long-range impact of these events.

The proof-of-concept study was conducted in 2019.
Australia saw a super outbreak of pyrocumulonimbus clouds between 2019 and 2020.
France recorded its first-ever pyrocumulonimbus cloud in July 2026.
The INSPYRE mission held its first deployment during the summer of 2026.
The initial summer deployment concluded in September 2026.

Deeper Dive

The mission follows the research trajectory established by the 2019-2020 Australian pyrocumulonimbus super outbreak. By investigating these events, scientists aim to bridge gaps between wildfire behavior and atmospheric science, potentially disproving older hypotheses regarding smoke dispersion.

Improved fire and weather models could eventually lead to more accurate air quality alerts and evacuation warnings for residents in fire-prone regions. These advancements provide utility by allowing emergency responders to better anticipate the trajectory of extreme atmospheric events.

The takeaway

The INSPYRE mission represents a significant effort to quantify the atmospheric consequences of increasingly intense wildfire seasons. Future data analysis will be critical for hardening public infrastructure against the unpredictable nature of fire-generated weather.