Smoke from Russian Fires Approaches Finland

On Tuesday cleaner air is flowing in from the south-west, but on the following day more hot air will move into the south-east, bringing impurities from the blazes. This hot smoky air mass is expected to reach the rest of southern and central Finland on Wednesday night. The Meteorological Institute says that it will spread into northern Finland on Thursday.

In some areas the smoke may be heavy, making the air hazy and causing discomfort for those suffering from respiratory illnesses. Those in risk groups are urged to remain indoors as much as possible, while even the healthy are advised to avoid heavy exertion outdoors.

No immediate relief is in sight, as the forecast for the affected areas Russia calls for more hot dry weather over the next few days.

The last time forest fires in Russia affected Finland was in 2006, when the volume of fine particles in the air rose to as much as ten times normal levels.