Extended Environmental Alert
The Metropolitan Presidential Delegation has declared an Environmental Alert for Wednesday, June 3, extending restrictive measures in the capital for the second consecutive day. The decision, recommended by the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (Seremi) for the Environment, is a response to adverse weather conditions that are preventing the dispersion of pollutants across the Santiago basin.
Official reports indicate the measure was triggered by critical levels of PM2.5 recorded at the El Bosque monitoring station at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, a condition that persisted throughout the day. According to the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC), Wednesday’s forecast includes a surface anticyclonic system and an upper-level trough, with temperatures ranging from 7ºC to 18ºC and no expected ventilation for the basin.
Heating and Vehicle Restrictions
Authorities have strictly prohibited the use of wood-burning heaters and wood-derivative stoves throughout the Metropolitan Region, with the exception of pellet-burning units. This restriction will be enforced by the Health Seremi in coordination with the Carabineros (police) and local municipalities, which have set up the hotline 600 360 7777 to receive reports of non-compliance from citizens.
Vehicle restrictions, which apply from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the province of Santiago, San Bernardo, and Puente Alto, follow a specific schedule. For Wednesday, vehicles with a 'green seal' registered before September 1, 2011, with license plates ending in 2 or 3, are prohibited from circulating within the Américo Vespucio beltway.
For vehicles without a green seal, the rules are stricter: passenger cars, buses, and freight vehicles with license plates ending in 4, 5, 6, and 7 are banned from circulating in the province of Santiago, San Bernardo, and Puente Alto. Furthermore, all vehicles without a green seal are prohibited from entering the Américo Vespucio beltway.
Motorcycles are also subject to specific restrictions based on their model year. Those manufactured before 2002 with license plates ending in 4, 5, 6, or 7, and those registered between 2002 and September 2010 with plates ending in 2 or 3, are prohibited from operating during the restricted hours.
Education and Agricultural Controls
The Ministry of Education has issued recommendations for schools across the region regarding the poor air quality. While classes have not been suspended, the ministry suggests modifying the intensity of physical education activities, prioritizing exercises that require less oxygen consumption to protect student health.
Finally, the ban on agricultural burning, in effect since March 1, remains strictly enforced through October 31 across the entire Metropolitan Region. The Regional Ministry of Agriculture, alongside teams from the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), will step up enforcement of this measure and has designated the number 130 for reporting unauthorized burning.
