A field project was conducted to measure smoke plumes from wildland fires in Alberta. This study used handheld inclinometers and photos taken at fire lookout towers. Observations of 222 plumes were collected from 2010 to 2015.

Unanticipated issues were uncovered including instrument limitations, environmental conditions, and subjectivity of observations. Despite these problems, the data set showed responses to fire behaviour conditions consistent with processes leading to plume rise.