Wildfires and heat-wave in the Russian Federation: situation report, 18 August 2010

Air quality City of Moscow On 18 August 2010, air quality monitoring indicated the following range of concentrations of air pollutants: - Particulate matter – from 0.12 to 0.64 mg/m3 - Nitrogen dioxide – from 0.02 to 0.2 mg/m3 - Carbon monoxide – from 0.4 to 4.5 mg/m3 - Sulfur dioxide – from 0.001 to 0.053 mg/m3 The maximum allowable concentrations (MACs) of the above pollutants were reported as having been exceeded during morning hours only in two administrative districts: 0.64 mg/mЗ of particulate matter (1.28 times MAC) in the Eastern district and 0.21 mg/mЗ of nitrogen dioxide (1.05 times MAC).in the South-Eastern district. MACs of monitored substances were not exceeded during the day time in any administrative district. Moscow Region On 18 August 2010, laboratory evaluation of atmospheric air showed that the MAC for carbon monoxide was exceeded at 07:00 just in two settlements: Shatura (up to 2.36 times MAC) and Ryazanovsky in Yegoryevsky District (up to 1.1 times MAC). Laboratory evaluation of atmospheric air on 18 August 2010 at 13:00 showed no instances of MACs of hazardous substances being exceededin the atmospheric air at the monitoring sites. According to data from the headquarters of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, in the Moscow Region as of 14:00 on 18 August 2010 there were 13 active fire sites reported, covering a total area of about 16.6 hectares. Both the number and location of individuals affected by fires remain the same. Source: Press Center of the Russian Agency for Consumer Rights and Human Well-Being http://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/press_center/press/35056 Wild fires and the heat-wave in the Russian Federation Situation report 18 August 2010 Status of wildfires in the Russian Federation as of 06:00 on 18 August 2010 Over the course of the day, 230 fires broke out and 257 were extinguished; 410 sites, covering a total area of 20 364.6 hectares, continue to burn, of which 218 sites over a total area of 11 386.3 hectares have been contained. There are 22 significant active sites of fire over an area of 10 637.9 hectares. Altogether, from the beginning of the 2010 fire risk season, 28 180 wildfires have broken out in the Russian Federation, covering a total area of 879 443 hectares, including 1 138 sites of peat fires covering a total area of 2 068.0 hectares. A total of 166 120 individuals and 26 572 units of machinery (including 49 aircraft) have been involved in extinguishing wildfires; 129 171 people and 19 341 units of machinery (including 22 aircraft) have been provided by the Russian Emergencies Ministry. Foreign countries have dispatched 461 people and 87 units of machinery to assist in extinguishing the wildfires. Source: Russian Federation Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief http://www.mchs.gov.ru/emergency/detail.php?ID=44357& © World Health Organization 2010 All rights reserved. The Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization welcomes requests for permission to reproduce or translate its publications, in part or in full.