Smoke and ash covered the Attica Basin and other areas, creating a stifling atmosphere. Thousands of Athens residents have gone to hospitals complaining of breathing problems.
The data provided by the National Observatory of Athens on the spread of smoke and ash particles throughout Greece is alarming, as is their impact on air quality due to the raging firefronts in our country, especially around the island of Evia and the capital’s suburbs. Varibobi… Thick smoke and ash covered the Attica basin, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
National Observatory of Athens: video on the spread of smoke from fires across the country
National Observatory of Athens: video on the spread of smoke from fires across the country
Posted by Russian Athens – Russian Athens on Wednesday, August 4, 2021
In a smoke dispersion monitoring system http://smoke.beyond-eocenter.eu/ shows the spatial and temporal evolution of smoke from different fronts throughout Greece, which is recorded based on current atmospheric conditions.
Impact of fires on air quality
The Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IEPBA) of the National Observatory of Athens (EAA) provided a detailed briefing as part of its collaboration with the Attica region on the air quality impact of yesterday’s major fire in the north of the Attica Basin.
From the sensor network data of the Institute, which operates within the PANAKIA National Research Infrastructure, the following conclusions can be drawn regarding the concentration of fine particulate matter PM2.5 in the Attica Basin:
The first load was seen west of the fire sector, in the Acharnes area, yesterday after 18:00. With the change of wind, a large load began to be observed, first in the west (Ilion), and then in the northern sector (Pefki), which lasted all night and reached a maximum between 11:00 and 03:00, with a concentration in ten minutes exceeding 200 micrograms (μg) per cubic meter of air. Then there was a relative decrease, but until 08:00 today they remained high (more than 50 μg / cubic meter). The central sector has seen a very large increase in levels (over 250 µg per cubic meter) since 02:00 this morning and continues to this day. Piraeus also had a charge after 04:00, but levels remained relatively low. From the first hours after midnight to the present, there was a relatively lower concentration in the southern sector, with smoke reaching even to the Vouliagmeni area (concentrations up to 90 μg per cubic meter). Based on the hourly concentration levels at the measurement points in the basin, since 7:00 a.m. on 4 August, high concentrations on the smoke axis have exceeded even 250 μg per cubic meter, with a slight decrease after 9:00 a.m. there was an improvement in the image. The concentration of divalent carbon, an indicator of incomplete combustion, has been measured at very high levels at the EAA station in Thissio, with hourly values sometimes exceeding 50 µg per cubic meter (about 20 times higher than is currently observed).
Fires in the Limni – Evia region and previous fires
Meanwhile, BEYOND Earth Observation and Satellite Remote Sensing Science published a map showing active sources of fire in the area of the town of Limni Evia, which was discovered by the FireHub service on 03/08/2021 at 17.10 local time. Center of the National Observatory of Athens.
Deadly hydrocarbon monoxide levels due to fires in Limni, Evia.
Posted by Russian Athens – Russian Athens on Wednesday, August 4, 2021
It is in this area that extremely heavy smoke has been recorded and the level of carbon monoxide has risen to deadly levels.
More Stories
Orange sky…
African dust: suffocating atmosphere in Attica
Large fire in the area of the Souda naval base on Crete