Southern Lithuania is shrouded in smoke due to massive forest fires in Belarus

Residents of southern Lithuania are complaining about the smell of smoke and increased levels of particulate matter pollution caused by forest fires in Belarus. 

This was reported by LRT, citing data from the National Public Health Center. The settlements in the Varėna district and the city of Druskininkai are suffering the most from the smoke, as the wind is carrying it from the border areas in their direction.

The fire broke out near the border on Saturday evening, and on Sunday night, the flames spread into Lithuanian territory, where local firefighters managed to contain them by 6:00 a.m. Although the situation is under control on the Lithuanian side, the fire in Belarus continues, putting the villages of Šeivėnai, Kabeliai, Marcinkonys, and other surrounding communities at risk of smoke. Lithuanian authorities emphasize the lack of information regarding the scale of the disaster from the Belarusian side, which makes it difficult to predict the situation.

Currently, there is no immediate danger to human life, but experts advise residents to limit their time outdoors and keep windows tightly closed. Fire crews remain on standby along the border to monitor the situation and prevent the fire from spreading again. Given the wind direction, the environmental situation in border areas will remain tense in the near future.

In Chile, severe wildfires have been reported, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.

In the Patagonia region of Argentina, large-scale wildfires have destroyed approximately 12,000 hectares of shrubland, forest plantations, and natural forests. The fires pose a serious threat to local communities and infrastructure.