A cloud of smoke moves over Switzerland
The jet stream carried the spill from the devastating forest fires to Europe. How does this affect the air and thus health in Switzerland, says the meteorologist.
No health risks for people in Switzerland: A woman wears a respirator in Calgary, Canada to protect herself from smog particles in the air. (May 16, 2023)
Photo: Larry McDougal (Keystone via The Canadian Press)
Forest fires in Canada have now affected Switzerland as well. As seen in satellite images, heavy smoke from the fire was carried by the jet stream to Europe.
“On Monday night, the first smoke clouds from the Canadian forest fires were recorded in Switzerland,” says Daniel Gerstgrasser from Meteo Switzerland upon request. “The main thrust of the smoke passed us during the night.”
According to the meteorologist, the smoke clouds reached a height of 7 to 10 km in western Switzerland and slowly moved eastward. They fell to a height of about 5 kilometers.
According to Gerstkrasser, the phenomenon is relatively easy to see with the naked eye, especially in sunrise and satellite images.
Over the course of the week, further “scattered smog at low concentrations” is expected from Thursday onwards.
Meteorologist gives all clear about air quality
Canada is experiencing an unprecedented number of wildfires this year. The wildfires also affected the neighboring United States, where thick smoke settled in the northeastern part of the country. In major cities such as New York, Washington and Philadelphia, officials urged people to stay indoors as much as possible because the air was so bad. Meanwhile, the situation calmed down a bit. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only a handful of locations had “unhealthy” fine dust pollution last weekend (more Particulate matter and its effects: What is known about smoke clouds from wildfires?)
Smoke particles are called PM2.5 (less than 2.5 microns in diameter). According to experts, they are smaller than the particles produced by heaters or diesel engines in winter, PM10 (less than 10 microns in diameter).
However, according to Gerstkrasser, smog particles from Canada do not pose a health risk to the Swiss population in Switzerland. “Since the smoke is highly diluted on one side and high up on the other side, it rarely has any impact on the air quality near the ground,” says the meteorologist.
Wildfires make Montreal city with worst air quality
As wildfires rage across Canada, metropolitan Montreal is Sunday on World Sunday. Big city with bad air was Air quality in the most populous city in the province of Quebec is “unhealthy,” according to global air pollution monitor IQAir.
According to the local fire protection authority, there are currently 80 forest fires burning in the province of Quebec alone. Drought and high temperatures spread over several weekends. Authorities explained that heavy smoke made the work of firefighting aircraft and helicopters very difficult. However, in the northwest part of the province, heavy rain is expected on Monday or Tuesday.
In Canada, 4.6 million hectares of land have already been destroyed by fires since the beginning of this year. (June 7, 2023)
Photo: BC Forest Fire Service via AFP
According to the National Forest Fire Center (CIFFC), there are currently more than 450 fires burning across Canada, 240 of which are believed to be out of control. The North American nation is experiencing an unprecedented number of wildfires this year. 7.4 million hectares of land have burned since the beginning of January. Experts see this as another effect of global warming.
With content from SDA and AFP agencies
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