The Impact Of A Forest Fire On The Air Pollution Of An Urban Area: A Case-Study For Athens, Greece

Abstract

In recent years Athens experienced severe air quality problems which are mostly attributed to motor vehicles and central heating. In addition to these pollution sources, forest fires taking place near urban areas may have a significant impact on the air quality of the city. We investigated this perspective by examining measurements of smoke and ozone taken in several sites within the Athens area for a time period during which a forest fire took place relatively close to Athens. The prevailing meteorological conditions supported the transfer of air masses from the burning forest area to the city. We find strong indications that the products of the forest fire influence significantly the levels of air pollution of the urban area, at least in terms of ozone and smoke. © 1992, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved