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Tessan
04-17-08, 02:00
I did a search on goggle news, and nothing appears any article about the smoke from the 66,000 hectares of grass fires NE of in Buenos Aires. I tired "Buenos Aires fire" Buenos Aires Air" and "Buenos Aires smoke." Nothing on goggle news. Only place I found info was in Buenos Aires Herald. Maybe in Spanish there is more news.

The air is getting pretty nasty. Worse right now, then this mourning. I get asthma sometime this stuff is not good.

El Perro
04-17-08, 09:54
I did a search on goggle news, and nothing appears any article about the smoke from the 66,000 hectares of grass fires NE of in Buenos Aires. I tired "Buenos Aires fire" Buenos Aires Air" and "Buenos Aires smoke." Nothing on goggle news. Only place I found info was in Buenos Aires Herald. Maybe in Spanish there is more news.

The air is getting pretty nasty. Worse right now, then this mourning. I get asthma sometime this stuff is not good.I was out for a few hours last night and left my windows open. A mistake. This is as bad, or worse, than Miami when they have those big fires in the Everglades. Nasty.

BadMan
04-17-08, 11:00
I agree,

Wtf is up with this shit.

I just hope it's completely gone within the next 24 hours.

Regards,

BM.

Aqualung
04-17-08, 12:23
According to the government the fires were caused by farmers to clear their fields the cheapest way possible with no respect for human life (9 deaths from traffic accidents caused by smoke)

Maybe I'd better not add any comments!

Tessan
04-17-08, 16:25
I agree,

Wtf is up with this shit.

I just hope it's completely gone within the next 24 hours.

Regards,

BM.The smoke depends on which way the wind is blowing. There are fires every year, (smaller ones) but smoke usually does not get down to Capital Federal. But the wind is coming this direction. If it changes, the smoke will disappear.

Do not think that the gov can turn off a fire this size. I will burn out, since it mostly grass land.

Tessan
04-17-08, 17:11
Vast Argentine fires disrupt air travel, choke capital in smoke.

From the Associated Press.

10:24 AM PDT, April 17, 2008

BUENOS AIRES -- Fires allegedly set by farmers sent clouds of smoke across the Argentine capital today, disrupting air and highway travel and choking millions of Argentines.

Some 270 square miles have burned in recent days, according to Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo.

"We are facing a disaster caused by the hand of man," he said today.

The smoke forced air traffic controllers to cancel landings at airports in Buenos Aires and led police to close some major highways. Some bus routes were scrapped for lack of visibility.

Randazzo and other officials accuse private farmers of setting the blazes to cheaply clear scrub from grazing land.

Environment Secretary Romina Picolotti said that the situation poses potential health risks. Authorities reported a steep increase in the number of people seeking attention at hospitals with eye problems.

Randazzo said the government has asked prosecutors to prosecute those who set the blazes.

"Burning pastures is a crime," she said.

Tessan
04-17-08, 17:15
Smoke Cloaks Buenos Aires City as Farmers Burn Fields (Update1)

By Bill Faries and Eliana Raszewski.

April 17 (Bloomberg) -- Smoke from fires set by farmers to clear fields for grazing covered Buenos Aires and shut down some highways leading into the Argentine capital.

Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo called the smoke a 'disaster'' and said 292 separate fires covering 70,000 hectares (173,000 acres) had been detected in the provinces of Buenos Aires and neighboring Entre Rios. The smell of smoke filled homes and offices across the city, and views of landmarks, including the downtown Obelisk and the Defense Ministry building, were clouded.

'Those responsible are farmers who are burning their meadows to cut their costs and maximize their profits without considering the consequences,'' said Randazzo in a news conference at the Presidential Palace. 'We are conducting investigations to find those responsible.''

The use of fires to clear land in the Argentine countryside and the Parana River delta is an annual occurrence. Randazzo said more land is being burned in the delta area near Buenos Aires this year as farmers seek new pastures for cattle that previously grazed on land now dedicated to soybeans.

Argentina has increased the area of land sown with soybeans to 4.2 million hectares this season from 3.8 million hectares a year earlier, according to the Agriculture Secretary.

Carbon Monoxide.

Randazzo said some measures indicated there was a high level of carbon monoxide in the air. In its early morning show, radio station Radio Mitre received calls from dozens of people complaining of eye irritation and sore throats.

Television channels showed helicopters scooping water from the Parana River and dumping it on blazing islands in an effort to douse flames.

The port of Buenos Aires was closed for shipments to the north, while the city's main bus terminal didn't allow departures of buses destined for northern provinces, Randazzo said.

'Covering highways with smoke just to clear a field of weeds is unforgivable,'' Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez said an interview with Radio Diez. 'It's incredibly irresponsible.''

Environment Secretary Romina Picolotti and Randazzo this afternoon will meet provincial governors to discuss what further measures should be taken.

The national meteorological service issued an alert at 3 a. M. New York time, saying cloud banks caused by the smoke would reduce visibility this morning and early afternoon. The service forecast light winds that may 'temporarily'' clear smoke.

'The good news is that in the next 24 hours there will be some southeast winds that will minimize the smoke in populated areas and help increase visibility on roads,'' said Picolotti, who spoke at the same press conference as Randazzo.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Faries in Buenos Aires wfaries@bloomberg. Net; Eliana Raszewski in Buenos Aires eraszewski@bloomberg. Net

Last Updated: April 17, 2008 12:04 EDT

Tmontana
04-17-08, 19:03
I posted this on the 10th!

"What is the awful smoke hanging over BsAs this morning.

It was especially bad here last night. Riding up the Avenida de Julio I could see it thick in the air. The taxi I was in did not know why it was so smoky. This morning from the top of the building here I can still smell it outside and see it. What the heck it it. Anyone know. Do all the peasants burn wood at home to eat and heat water or what!"

Told by my people here and Sidney is right - they do it to clear land and help new grasses grow for the next year.

I left BsAs two days ago - smelled smoke all week!

Tessan
04-18-08, 02:10
ARGENTINA: Fires Heat Up Conflict with Farmers.

By Marcela Valente.

BUENOS AIRES, Apr. 17 (IPS) - The government and farmers in Argentina, caught up in a month-long confrontation over an export tax increase, clashed again Thursday because of the extensive burning of grasslands that has thrown a pall of smoke over the capital and has even reached parts of neighbouring Uruguay.

The fires began around 300 km north of Buenos Aires and encompass an area of 70,000 hectares, 60,000 of which are in the southern part of the province of Entre Ríos, and the rest in the northern part of the province of Buenos Aires.

The smoke caused by 292 separate fires covered the Argentine capital, and by Thursday morning there was poor visibility on highways and in cities in southern Uruguay as well, including the capital, Montevideo.

The fires apparently got out of hand when farmers used their traditional slash-and-burn technique to clear grasslands. Authorities have filed legal charges against several farmers for environmental damages, but the investigations have just begun.

The flames further heated up the talks between the government and the agricultural associations. The farmers continue to insist that the government roll back the tax hike that triggered three weeks of protests in March, and are demanding support for the production of beef, dairy products and grains. But the response by the administration of Cristina Fernández has failed to satisfy them.

The farmers that have taken the hardest-line stance are in the northeastern province of Entre Ríos, where Alfredo De Angelis, one of the leaders of the March protests, warned that if the government did not back down on the tax increase, the roadblocks would be resumed on May 2.

The three-week farm strike in March involved roadblocks around the country that stopped trucks carrying food products, causing food shortages in the cities and driving up prices. The conflict was considered the worst to hit Argentina since the late 2001 economic collapse that toppled the government of Fernando de la Rúa (1999-2001)

Engineer Raúl Brasesco, head of the Experimental Agency of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Entre Ríos province, explained to IPS that the fires could be the result of a combination of factors like drought, high winds, abundant grass and the smaller than usual number of cattle.

"There is a major drought in the area, and a thick layer of grass formed, that was not grazed because there were fewer head of cattle, and the high grass is highly flammable," he said.

The fire broke out on the islands in the Paraná River delta, where the use of herbicides is banned, and only organic cattle farming and beekeeping are allowed.

But Brasesco said the ageold slash-and-burn technique used to clear dry grass and improve pastureland is usually employed at the end of winter in Argentina. "Slash-and-burn is not normally used in this season (the southern hemisphere autumn) but maybe someone used the technique and the fire got out of hand because of the climatic conditions," he speculated.

Diego Moreno, conservation director at the Fundación Vida Silvestre (Wildlife Foundation) told IPS that although the use of fire is "a valid tool" that should not be banned outright, the lack of standards for regulating the practice can lead to disasters. "This fire is a demonstration of the failure to properly manage these practices," he said.

President Fernández said the smoke "is not the product of a natural disaster but of aspects of human nature like irresponsibility and irrationality." She called for an investigation of what happened and the damages caused, especially with respect to the traffic accidents triggered by the smoke in the last few days.

Fernández made her speech after flying over the fire zone by helicopter and after Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo accused farmers of burning their grasslands "to reduce costs and maximise profits, regardless of the consequences."

The Federación Agraria Argentina, the association that groups small and medium farmers, immediately complained about the "political overtones" of the accusation.

The Federación is one of the four farmers' associations negotiating with the government new measures to put an end to the conflict that broke out on Mar. 11.

"The government wants to draw attention away from the central issues in the debate," said the vice president of the Federación, Ulises Forte, who admitted that the fire may have begun when a farmer set fire to a small pasture and it got out of control "due to poor management."

But Randazzo blamed farmers who he said were "merely seeking to make a profit. There is no other reason. The fire got out of hand and they caused a disaster, but now they don't want to say who was responsible," he said.

"This form of clearing weeds and generating environmental chaos must be investigated," said cabinet chief Alberto Fernández (no relation to the president)

Around a week ago, a haze had already been seen for several days in Buenos Aires, but the authorities had been unable to pinpoint the source. However, the burning smell returned on Tuesday, and the cause was identified.

The low visibility caused by the smoke has brought about several fatal traffic accidents over the last week or so. On Apr. 9, 11 crashes along a 35-km stretch of highway 9 in northern Buenos Aires left four people dead. And on Apr. 16, three people were killed in an accident on the same road.

A dozen highways in the northeastern part of the country were shut down, several long-distance bus routes were suspended, and a number of flights were cancelled.

The National Meteorology Service in neighbouring Uruguay issued a special forecast warning of the smoke Thursday. (END /2008)

Rioman
04-18-08, 10:13
Should have been planning this a couple of days ago, but really do find this unbearable now and want out. Any ideas on last minute wkend getaway as I would like to be out of here by tonight. I would consider any options - planes, boats, or even buses. Quickest, most enjoyable, cheapest probably the order of the day. Got back from Mendoza just last wk so not looking to go there again.

WorldTravel69
04-18-08, 12:11
Maybe on the coast. I was thinking of going today. Bus is 66p, but it takes 5 1/2 hours on the bus line I talked to.


Should have been planning this a couple of days ago, but really do find this unbearable now and want out. Any ideas on last minute wkend getaway as I would like to be out of here by tonight. I would consider any options - planes, boats, or even buses. Quickest, most enjoyable, cheapest probably the order of the day. Got back from Mendoza just last wk so not looking to go there again.

Tessan
04-18-08, 13:17
Maybe on the coast. I was thinking of going today. Bus is 66p, but it takes 5 1/2 hours on the bus line I talked to.Just checked spanish news,.

La ciudad de Mar del Plata amaneció cubierta este miércoles por una cortina de humo. El olor se hizo notar de manera destacada why una de las versiones señalan que responde a quema de pastizales en la zona del delta paranaense.

Mar del Plata is full of smoke.

This stuff is all over the place.

"In some parts of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Entre Rios visibility is near zero, as black clouds from some 300 simultaneous fires cover farmlands, population centres and the highways connecting Argentina with neighboring Paraguay and Brazil. The smoke has even crossed the border to Uruguay where the capital city of Montevideo is now hazy with Argentine smoke."

The best way to get out of it, is to get on the other side of the wind.

WorldTravel69
04-18-08, 13:38
I just got back from the bus station. All buses to Mar del Plata are cancelled. Shit!


Just checked spanish news,

La ciudad de Mar del Plata amaneció cubierta este miércoles por una cortina de humo. El olor se hizo notar de manera destacada why una de las versiones señalan que responde a quema de pastizales en la zona del delta paranaense.

Mar del Plata is full of smoke.

This stuff is all over the place.

"In some parts of the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Entre Rios visibility is near zero, as black clouds from some 300 simultaneous fires cover farmlands, population centres and the highways connecting Argentina with neighboring Paraguay and Brazil. The smoke has even crossed the border to Uruguay where the capital city of Montevideo is now hazy with Argentine smoke."

The best way to get out of it, is to get on the other side of the wind.

Tessan
04-18-08, 13:48
I just got back from the bus station. All buses to Mar del Plata are cancelled. Shit!Probably because of the smoke. Roads are closing.

Might need to take a plane to get out of this stuff.

Go far south, or far north. Salta probably ok. But road closed. Or south. Smoke coming form NE, so want to go past it north, or fare enough south to no feel it.

Jaimito Cartero
04-18-08, 13:50
It sucks! Seemed to get better yesterday, and then got bad at night again. It made sleeping rather difficult.

Hobby Fan
04-18-08, 14:19
This article has a good map showing the fires' locations:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7353595.stm

This one has some good pictures:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-smoke18apr18,1,4114176.story?track=rss

Hobby Fan
04-18-08, 14:25
The apartment I am staying in has two bedrooms. Last might I kept one shut up tight and ran the a / c (which has a charcoal filtration system built in) in the other one, using a high temperature to avoid pointless cooling. The room with an operating a / c was a lot more comfortable, and I suggest others may want to try this approach. The other room now stinks in comparison.

Of course I doubt this is good for the a / c, but better it choke on smoke than me.

Tessan
04-18-08, 18:48
I just got back from the bus station. All buses to Mar del Plata are cancelled. Shit!Was told buses are running again out of Retiro. Mar del Plata should be better then BA, since its 400 km south of BA, and that 400km farther away from the fires. Although there are reports of smoke, it is probably less dense.

Tessan
04-18-08, 19:48
Should have been planning this a couple of days ago, but really do find this unbearable now and want out. Any ideas on last minute wkend getaway as I would like to be out of here by tonight. I would consider any options - planes, boats, or even buses. Quickest, most enjoyable, cheapest probably the order of the day. Got back from Mendoza just last wk so not looking to go there again.From the smoke map Hobby Fan posted, it looks like going West is better then south. In the direction of Mendoza, looks like 125 to 200 km west there is no smoke. Wind is taking the smoke south no west. less smoke 125 km west, then 400 south.

Aqualung
04-18-08, 21:19
This evening they were burning trash in the Villa Miseria beside the autopista La Plata at the Quilmes exit.

Tessan
04-19-08, 01:11
Should have been planning this a couple of days ago, but really do find this unbearable now and want out. Any ideas on last minute wkend getaway as I would like to be out of here by tonight. I would consider any options - planes, boats, or even buses. Quickest, most enjoyable, cheapest probably the order of the day. Got back from Mendoza just last wk so not looking to go there again.
Maybe on the coast. I was thinking of going today. Bus is 66p, but it takes 5 1/2 hours on the bus line I talked to.Looking at the Spanish TV channel 11 on my cable. La Plata has allot of smoke, even thought it is 400 km south. Could not even see the cathedral because of the smoke, better go west.

Monger514
04-19-08, 01:13
Or east, to the Falkland Islands. The air should be clear there, except maybe for some sheep farts.

Caveman01
04-19-08, 06:58
What's the problem with Malvinas, Monger?

You're begining to amuse me.

Flexible Horn
04-19-08, 12:46
Or east, to the Falkland Islands. The air should be clear there, except maybe for some sheep farts.I am sure there are no direct flights from Argentina to the FALKLANDS

Tessan
04-19-08, 12:53
The news is saying there are going to be heavy rain on Tuesday which should kill off the grass fires. Hope they are right.

Rockin Bob
04-19-08, 16:41
I came down through Entre Rios yesterday and took some shots out the window.

WorldTravel69
04-19-08, 20:12
I took the noon bus today to Mar del Plata.

Cold, but No Smoke!

SmokersRule
04-19-08, 20:33
I must be coming to town in a couple of weeks:)

Tjmee
04-19-08, 23:29
Are there any pics of the smoke covering buildings and grassland pics?

Hope it gets better soon.

Tessan
04-20-08, 03:13
How's the smoke now?Smoke is better then this afternoon, but its still over the city. It can change very quickly. I have my window open for the first time in 3 days. Get a little air in. At least for now, the air coming in through the wind does not smell like smoke, but I will close it when I go to sleep.

The news is now say they are expecting rain on Thursday now, not Tuesday.

They also said that wind will be coming in from the North, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. That means more smoke. Did not say anything beyond Tuesday about the wind.

Tessan
04-20-08, 15:29
I can see a blue sky. Looks clear. Do not smell smoke from my window. Hope the rest of the day stays this way.

WorldTravel69
04-20-08, 15:34
As I was leaving I took a few shots. Cough, Cough.

And a few from Mar del Plata.


are there any pics of the smoke covering buildings and grassland pics? Hope it gets better soon.