Climate
Devastating wildfires are currently raging across Canada, and an area larger than Austria has already fallen victim to the blazes in recent weeks. Smoke clouds hit central Europe as early as Thursday due to huge carbon emissions. Hardly any consequences are expected for Austria, but the effects of the smoke cloud can likely be seen in Vorarlberg.
06/30/2023 12.21
Online since today, 12:21 pm
According to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), in Vorarlberg – as a result of the devastating forest fires in Canada – a more intense red may appear in the morning or at night, caused by aerosols that scatter sunlight and can thus contribute to a more pronounced sky colors.
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The smoke thins out from the west
In Austria, smoke is more likely to be felt in Vorarlberg because it comes from the west: “Our climate is mainly west facing. We are in the so-called west wind zone”, explains Thomas Rinderer, meteorologist at ORF Vorarlberg. However, the smoke is thinning, also due to the precipitation that is expected to fall on the country on Friday.
Three to four weeks ago, the smoke clouds would have reached Vorarlberg, reports Rinderer. The same thing happened on Thursday, but the smoke had no direct effect on people: “It’s not harmful, we don’t smell it either,” emphasizes Rinderer. However, views of the mountains or valley may be somewhat limited.
foto-webcam.eu The effects of wildfires in Canada are also visible in Vorarlberg, as here at Diedamskopf
No major impact on air quality is expected
In forest fires, large clouds of smoke and ash are formed, which carry small parts – such as soot particles – into the atmosphere. Once they reach altitude, they can be transported several thousand kilometers across the globe along with high-altitude winds.
“Long distance smoke transport is not uncommon and is not expected to have a significant impact on air quality in Europe, but it is a clear indication of the intensity of the fires,” says Mark Parrington, Senior Scientist at CAMS – read more at Wildfires worse than ever.