Summer approaches, and in time of the year the Republic of North Macedonia and the region happen to suffer from fires. Open fire have significant role in environmental devastation and air pollution. Scientists from around the world are analyzing the air in the areas under fire and have concerning conclusions.

Each year, thousands of hectares devastate forests, pastures and even Europe’s urban areas. In 2018 more then 204.861 ha were burnt in Europe and Mediterranean countries, as compared to 1,2 mil. ha devastated land in 2017. Fires in the Arctic circle in June last year had set new record in carbon emissions in 18 years of monitoring.  

Photo by Malachi Brooks on Unsplash

During burning process of trees, grass and forest, enormous quantities of smoke and pollutants are emitted in the air. elevating the smoke up to the stratosphere and spread over vast territory causing air pollution in territories far away from the area where the fire takes place.

“In East Mediterranean arrives smoke originating from the Russian forest fires, and when that happens, foggy air surrounds us” says professor Athanasios Nenes, atmosphere chemist at the Institute of chemical engineering in Patra, Greece.