The Environmental Protection Ministry said Thursday that it had recorded less air pollution than previous years during the Lag B’Omer holiday, as the celebration, which includes traditional bonfires, came to a close.
According to the ministry, despite adverse conditions such as no wind or atmospheric conditions that caused air not to stay in place for more than 24 hours, most pollution detection stations recorded lower levels.
The ministry, in conjunction with the Health Ministry, attributed the decrease in pollution to its request that the public refrain from lighting bonfires and find other ways of marking the occasion. The ministry did not provide evidence to support the explanation.
“The result is noticeable this morning at about 150 monitoring stations of the national air monitoring system… that are scattered throughout the country,” the ministry said.
It said there was a noticeable reduction in the “pungent odor” caused by the bonfires that can linger for days after the holiday.
Pollution levels in most areas rose overnight Wednesday when the festival began. They reached their highest point at 5 a.m.
According to the ministry, studies have shown a link between poor quality air and fires and visits to emergency rooms.
“One of the most prominent features of fires is a marked increase in the concentration of particles smaller than 2.5 microns that pass through the respiratory airways,” the ministry said.
Shmuel Hanavi in Jerusalem, an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood in Jerusalem, was the most polluted area in the country. The pollution level was 7.1 times greater than on a clear day.
Next was Nir Yaisrael, an agricultural community located near Ashkelon in south, and Kiryat Ata, in the north, was the third most polluted.
According to the ministry, factors such as the location of fires relative or near monitoring stations, and weather conditions like wind speed and direction can affect pollution readings.
Lag BOmer, a Jewish festival, commemorates the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a second-century sage. On the eve, bonfires are lit and kept burning through the night.
You are a dedicated reader
We are really happy that you enjoyed reading XTimes of Israel articlesThe past month.
Ten years ago, we founded the Times of Israel. We wanted to provide readers like you with important coverage of Israel as well as the Jewish world.
We now have a request.We don’t have a paywall, unlike other news outlets. However, the journalism we do is expensive so we invite readers to join us in support of our work. The Times of Israel Community.
You can support our quality journalism for as low as $6 per month and still enjoy The Times of Israel AD-FREEAccessing, as well as logging in Exclusive ContentOnly for Times of Israel Community members
We are very grateful.
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
