Toxic Cloud from Thessaloniki Fire Spreads South

Thick smoke from a fire that erupted in the Oraiokastro area of Thessaloniki has blanketed a significant portion of the wider region. The atmospheric monitoring platform AtmoHub reported that the toxic cloud is expected to move south in the coming hours, potentially affecting parts of Thessaly and northern Evia.

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Near-surface simulation shows an impact on the wider Thessaloniki area and transport to the south, with possible effects on parts of Thessaly and northern Evia.

"Near-surface simulation shows an impact on the wider Thessaloniki area and transport to the south, with possible effects on parts of Thessaly and northern Evia," AtmoHub stated. The burning of recyclable materials, including industrial waste from factories, has led to elevated levels of pollutants.

Experts warn that the combustion of such materials can result in increased concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and other atmospheric toxins. The severity of the pollution is influenced by the specific materials burned and prevailing weather conditions. The combination of forest fire elements and technical materials from recycling plants has created a particularly hazardous composition.

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The cloud that covered the city's sky consists of fine particles as a result of incomplete combustion. In fact, the fact that there was a combination of forest fire and technical materials from the factories that caught fire (recycling materials, detergents, oils) makes its composition even more burdensome.

Professor Dimos Sarigiannis, an environmental engineering expert at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, explained that the cloud consists of fine particles resulting from incomplete combustion. "The gases in the cloud include volatile organic compounds, which are particularly irritating to the throat and eyes, as well as several carcinogenic compounds such as benzene, dioxins, and furans," he told Voria.gr.

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The gas particles in the cloud are volatile organic compounds, particularly irritating to the throat and eyes, and there are also several carcinogenic compounds, such as benzene, dioxins, and furans.