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Smoke smell returns to Moscow after respite

Other News Materials 15 August 2010 12:44 (UTC +04:00)
A smell of smoke from peat bog fires raging outside Moscow returned to the Russian capital on Sunday after a brief respite, RIA Novosti reported.
Smoke smell returns to Moscow after respite

A smell of smoke from peat bog fires raging outside Moscow returned to the Russian capital on Sunday after a brief respite, RIA Novosti reported.

The smoke has shrouded Moscow's southeast, with the visibility dropping to several hundred meters. In south Moscow, the smell of the smoke was stronger on Sunday morning than on Saturday.

The smoke is also present in the center of the Russian capital while air remains relatively clean in western Moscow.

Since mid-June, the Moscow Region has been in the grips of an abnormal heat wave sparking peat bog and forest fires. During two weeks the capital was blanketed in acrid dense smog.

The worst smoky days were August 6 and 7, when the carbon monoxide concentration in the air exceeded the maximum permissible level 6 to 7 times over.

On Thursday the head of the Russian state meteorological center, Roman Vilfand said the conditions for smog formation around Moscow would remain until next week due to continuing wildfires and peat bog fires outside the capital and an unfavorable air circulation.

"These conditions move the smog from fire-stricken areas [into Moscow]," the scientist said, adding that a new smog wave would most likely suffocate the Russian capital again over the weekend.

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