The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) reported that satellite monitoring of nitrogen dioxide levels showed the impact of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire, which broke out on April 10, had extended to Bataan.
PhilSA explained that prevailing winds caused the westward movement of smoke and air pollutants from Navotas toward nearby provinces, including Bataan.
“These observations were based on hourly satellite snapshots taken on April 11 from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.,” the agency said.
By the afternoon of April 11, PhilSA noted that pollution levels had declined but remained relatively high across Metro Manila.
The agency added that its satellite findings were consistent with ground observations, confirming that the landfill fire’s impact extended beyond Navotas to surrounding areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The Navotas landfill has been non-operational since 2025, although residual waste at the site was identified as a possible contributing factor to the blaze.
PhilSA emphasized that the incident highlights the value of satellite technology in monitoring air quality and assessing the spread of emissions during large-scale fire events. (Trixee Rosel)
