In an advancement for Arctic communities facing increasing environmental challenges, the EU-funded Arctic PASSION project has launched the Air Quality Forecast (AURORAE), according to a news release on May 7. This tool offers real-time air quality monitoring and two-day forecasts of particulate matter (PM10) concentrations, and the Integrated Fire Risk Management (INFRA), a service that provides critical wildfire information through an advanced web mapping platform.
Developed by the JRC, AURORAE provides a user-friendly web interface designed specifically for community stakeholders and citizens concerned about air quality in Northern Europe. The platform delivers daily air quality data and two-day forecasts on particulate matter concentrations.
Each monitoring station is represented on an interactive map with colour-coded indicators classifying air quality from good to unhealthy. Users can access detailed historical trends and hourly forecasts for specific locations, with data available for download in text format.
AURORAE also issues daily bulletins providing a comprehensive overview of air pollution status in Northern Europe and Arctic communities, giving residents valuable information to make health-conscious decisions.
The INFRA service addresses a gap in wildfire information delivery by focusing specifically on local needs. Developed by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), the platform simplifies access to critical wildfire data from diverse sources, allowing municipalities and indigenous communities across Northern Europe, Canada and Yakutia to generate tailored alerts.
INFRA operates through two key components: INFRA-AEGIS, a web-GIS platform that integrates multiple informational layers of wildfire data, and INFRA-SENTRY, alert distribution system that delivers tailored messages following the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Standard, an international standard format for emergency alerting and public warning.
What sets INFRA apart is its attention to local scale operations and its ability to transform complex wildfire data into accessible information for non-scientific users. By improving the information chain targeted toward community-level stakeholders, INFRA aims to build a more effective culture of risk management across the Arctic.
The development of these practical, user-centred tools can help Arctic communities to better adapt to changing environmental conditions and improve emergency response capabilities.
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