Calgary pilot captures incredible images of B.C. wildfires: ‘It looked like a volcano erupted’

A Calgary pilot has captured some dramatic images of wildfires currently burning in the Okanagan from 40,000 feet in the air.

View image in full screen

A pilot of 20 years, Matt Melnyk said he was flying between Calgary and Vancouver when he saw the thick, heavy grey smoke billowing from the mountains.

“It looked like a volcano erupted. It was incredible,” Melnyk described.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I've never seen anything like it before."

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The WestJet pilot said he knew instantly the smoke was coming from the Okanagan wildfires.

View image in full screen

Melnyk said in all his years of flying, he had not seen anything like it, adding it was pure luck that he was able to see it because of the calm conditions in the sky.

“Yesterday, there were no clouds, no weather. There was a nice defined line of where the smoke started and it extended all across the province and you can see the smoke extend all the way from the trees,” he said.

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for much of the Prairies due to wildfire smoke. As of Thursday, there are currently hundreds of wildfires burning in B.C.