The air quality in the country is very poor this Friday, September 13, as reported by the Air Quality Monitoring Network. Only Tarija has an Air Quality Index (AQI) rated as poor.
The capital city with the worst air in the country is Cobija, with an AQI of 246. It is followed by La Paz (216) and Potosí (204). However, in Quillacollo (Cochabamba), which is not a capital city, the air quality is the worst in the country, at 288.
Santa Cruz registers an AQI of 185, while Trinidad is at 183; Cochabamba, 160; Oruro, 155; Sucre, 152.
Tarija presents poor air quality, at 135, yet it has the best AQI this Friday.
Recommendations for such cases of unhealthy air include minimizing outdoor exposure, using masks, and staying hydrated.
Forest fires have been affecting mainly the eastern part of Bolivia for weeks. On September 7, the government declared a national emergency, and this Thursday, the 12th, aerial operations were carried out to extinguish the fires in Santa Cruz.
Cloud seeding and the "Guardian" system were used. These are biodegradable containers dropped from the air that release their contents, creating a rain effect with great precision over the fires.
It is hoped that these operations will have an impact in areas where the fire continues to burn. On Thursday night, the government reported that the number of fires had decreased from 74 to 54 in the department of Santa Cruz.
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