New Publication: Integrating fireline observations to characterize fire plumes during pyroconvective extreme wildfire events

We’re pleased to announce the publication of a new research article that advances our understanding of fire-atmosphere interactions during Extreme Wildfire Events (EWEs). The paper, Integrating fireline observations to characterize fire plumes during pyroconvective extreme wildfire events: implications for firefighter safety and plume modeling, has been published in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).

This study introduces a novel observational methodology using dual radiosonde profiles—one within the wildfire plume and another in ambient air—to capture in-situ, real-time data on plume dynamics and fire-atmosphere coupling. By launching hundreds of sondes during fire seasons across Spain, Chile, Greece, and the Netherlands, the authors demonstrate how comparing ambient and in-plume measurements enhances detection of rapid changes in fire behaviour driven by pyroconvection. This approach has important implications for improving firefighter safety, refining plume modelling, and supporting nowcasting of extreme wildfire behaviour.

📄 Read the full article here.