Trip Flare M-48 mechanism, (Obtained in Camp Wainwright, Alberta) Flare, Trip, Parachute M48: Parachute Trip Flare M48 is in effect, a one-shot mortar fired by a trip wire. It projects an illuminating flare to an altitude of 300 to 500 feet, where a parachute-borne candle ignites when expelled from the shell case. The candle burns for about 20 seconds with a yellow-white light of approximately 110,000 candlepower, and illuminates an area with a radius of 300 yards.