New Scientst - Smoke From Austrlia's Bushfires Reaches Argentina And Chile

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Fires are burning across New South Wales and Queensland

Smoke particles from bushfires in Australia have reached South America, in a striking illustration of the intensity of the unprecedented blazes.

Satellites show atmospheric pollution created by the fires across New South Wales and Queensland has travelled more than 10,000 kilometres to Chile and Argentina. Researchers at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in Reading, UK, found a plume of carbon monoxide and aerosols trailing across the Pacific Ocean to South America.

More pollution will follow, judging from the situation in Australia, says Mark Parrington at ECMWF. “From satellite imagery there’s still thick smoke coming out of New South Wales, so more will be being pumped out, meaning a train of pollution going across the south Pacific, following the jet stream,” he says.

While it is relatively unusual for pollution to travel so far, studies have shown Australia’s deadly 2009 “Black Saturday” fires released materials that travelled a similar distance. Only trace amounts of Australian pollution hitting South America have been recorded today by satellites, with Parrington reporting carbon monoxide levels of 80 to 100 parts per billion. Anything above 110ppb is considered polluted air.

EDIT

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2223677-smoke-from-australias-bushfires-has-spread-to-south-america/