Why did NASA fly a former Cold War spy plane over B.C. wildfires?

To study it further for a more thorough understanding, NASA flew one of its two Airborne Science ER-2 aircraft over B.C. Aircraft used by NASA was a Cold War spy planeWhat's unique about the ER-2 is that it was, at one time, a Cold War spy plane, according to The Canadian Press. NASA Airborne Science ER-2 aircraft (NASA/Carla Thomas)NASA Airborne Science ER-2 aircraft. Explainer: Pyrocumulus clouds develop during wildfiresThese clouds always start off as pyrocumulus' clouds, formed when a cumulus cloud develops over the top of a wildfire's smoke column. Only a small fraction of pyrocumulus clouds transition into pyrocumulonimbus clouds, and researchers are still trying to figure out the exact mechanisms for this transition.