The Days Buenos Aires Stood Still

For the last two days, Buenos Aires has been inundated with smoke. Massive brush fires in the Tigre Delta to the north have put the city under a smelly, irritating haze. Life continues to go on—and the smoke is supposedly non-toxic—but everything feels a little off. The streets are less crowded; the traffic is moving more slowly; the domestic airport has been shut down; many highways in and out of the city have been closed.

The smoke has also changed the days into a perpetual dawn. Even at noon, the light has the soft orange tone of sunrise and sunset. At night, the smoke makes Buenos Aires look like London on its foggiest nights. It's all very cinematic, but unpleasant to live in. BBC Mundo reported that by Monday, we should be back to the promised good airs.