The capital of Santa Cruz breathes smoke and endures "the most polluted day of the year"

​The capital of Santa Cruz registers poor air quality, reaching a peak in the Air Quality Index (ICA) of 261 micrograms per cubic meter this Saturday, which makes it most polluted day so far this year.

“We have very poor air quality, we have the highest concentration of air so far this year. We can say that today is the most polluted day of the year. People are advised to permanently reduce their exposure to open spaces and outdoor physical activities. Hydration is important and, if they are going to be outdoors, the use of a face mask is suggested,” said the head of the Department of Water and Atmospheric Pollution, Diego Rojas.

With an ICA of 261, the air quality in Santa Cruz de la Sierra is in the very poor range, exceeding the value of August 27th which was 187.