Fires from Iraqi Marshes Swamp Iran with Smoke Pollution

A fire that has been raging in the Iraqi part of the Hor al-Azim marshes since the afternoon of October 23 is emitting thick smoke that is polluting the air in Iranian cities of Hoveyzeh, Daasht Azadegan and Ahvaz.

Farhad Gholinejad, deputy director of environmental protection for Khuzestan province, told ISNA news agency that the air quality in Ahvaz has reached a critical emergency level.

Gholinejad attributed the severe air pollution to the fire in the Iraqi section of the marshes. He noted that the smoke from the fire had already reached Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province. He also stressed the need to examine satellite images to determine the current status of the fire. 

He added that there was no precise information available on whether the fires had been contained, but even if they had been extinguished, smoke pollution would persist for some time.

Gholinejad said that if the situation continued, the Air Pollution Emergency Committee would convene to make decisions about necessary actions.

The fire in the Hor al-Azim marshes is the latest in a series of environmental disasters that have affected Khuzestan province in recent years. 

The province is home to a number of oil fields, and air and water pollution from oil and gas extraction are major problems.

Hor al-Azim marshes is of great importance in terms of hydrology and biology, spanning over 300,000 hectares, and one-third of its area is in Iran and the rest in neighboring Iraq.