The large forest fires that devastate the center of the Peninsula, especially in the Community of Madrid and the province of Ávilaare leaving a mark that goes far beyond the charred area. And if you have left home and thought there was a fire nearby, the most plausible possibility is that the smoke and ashes come directly from the center of the peninsula, despite being hundreds of kilometers away.
The view from space. Feeling the presence of smoke in municipalities in the south of Castilla-La Mancha, Jaén or Extremadura is being seen at satellite level. It was AEMET itself that confirmed through satellite images how the immense column of smoke is being pushed by the winds aloft.
The plume has crossed a large part of the Iberian Peninsula, traveling south and southeast until it appears over the Mediterranean arc. This massive displacement is causing a general deterioration in air quality along its path, loading the atmosphere with suspended particles derived from the combustion of the forest mass.
Chain notices. As the smoke advances, the regional emergency services have had to react to the alarm of citizens who, suddenly, see the cloudy sky and detect an intense burning smell, thinking that a new fire has started in their area.
In Castilla-La Mancha, the INFOCAM fire extinguishing service has reported a “significant presence of smoke” that covers a large part of the province of Toledo. Faced with this situation, the authorities have been clear with their recommendations, pointing out that it is vital to avoid intense outdoor exercise and, if the concentration is very high, close the windows of your homes.
It goes further. The journey of the particles has not stopped in the Tagus. The smoke has already reached Extremadura, and in the south, the Andalusian authorities have issued preventive warningssince it is already easy see the presence of smoke in the north of Jaén right at the Despeñaperros pass.
It’s a problem. Given the appearance of smoke and the smell of burning mountains, emergency services are making an effort to convey a fundamental message to prevent the collapse of the switchboards by announcing that the presence of smoke does not imply that there is a fire nearby.
The main risk for the population in these smoke-receiving communities is not the fire itself, but the health consequences of breathing contaminated air. The impact is due to the irritation of the respiratory tract caused by fine particles and, although for the healthy general population it may only cause discomfort or a slight itching of the throat and eyes, the worsening of air quality has a critical impact on vulnerable people, such as people with respiratory pathologies.
An improvement is expected. As the Andalusian Forest Fire Extinguishing Service has pointed out in its X account, is expected that at least in this region of Spain this smoke begins to disperse due to the entry of easterly winds.
Image | AEMET
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