KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Authorities in Ukraine on Friday advised residents of the capital Kyiv to stay indoors as the city struggles with air pollution, partly caused by fires in the region.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the pollution is the result of peatland burning and other forest fires in the region, combined with temperature fluctuations in the fall.
The capital woke up to thick smog and the rancid smell of burning fires in the air, with some people seen wearing masks.
The Ukrainian capital topped the list of most polluted major cities in a real-time database of IQAira Swiss company that monitors air quality. Air quality appeared to have improved somewhat since then, as the city dropped in the rankings later in the day.
According to the Kyiv Ministry of Environmental Protection and Climate Change, “the fires in the Kyiv region are the likely cause.”
Fires have been reported in the Vyshhorod district, about 20 kilometers north of the capital.
Officials warned of increased concentrations of particulate matter, such as dust, soot and smoke, in the air. In some parts of the city, air pollution levels have reached the maximum on the 100-point scale.
While human-caused climate change does not directly cause wildfires, it can increase the risk of wildfires because rising temperatures and increasingly dry air, trees and soil can make it easier for fires to spread. Wildfires around the world have worsened in recent years, with nearly twice as much tree cover burned in 2023 than 20 years ago, according to the World Resource Institute.
Wildfire smoke can worsen air quality, even miles away from the fires. The biggest concern from wildfire smoke is fine particulate matter pollution, better known as PM2.5. Particulate matter can cause short-term problems such as coughing, but can also have long-term effects on the lungs and heart.
Pollution is a major health problem, with an important study that estimates that pollution kills approximately 9 million people worldwide every year.
Residents of Kiev were advised to close their windows, limit the time they spend outdoors, drink plenty of water and use an air purifier.
“Particular attention should be paid to these recommendations by people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,” a statement from the Ministry of Ecology said.
Temperature fluctuations in autumn trap harmful substances in the air, increasing pollution and deteriorating air quality, the ministry said.