Intense Smog Blankets Chile's Capital, But Copa America Matches Still Not Affected

Dense, brown smog has blanketed the Chilean capital of Santiago as dry winter conditions and a combination of wood-burning and vehicle traffic forced the government to restrict car use and temporarily close hundreds of businesses.

The government declared an emergency on Monday due to the intense pollution, taking 40 percent of the city's cars — around half a million vehicles — off the roads. It was the first emergency measures taken against smog in the city in 16 years.

Chile is currently hosting the Copa America, or America Cup, the world's oldest continental soccer tournament. Three matches are yet to be played in the capital, but authorities said they don't expect conditions in Santiago to improve all week.

"We are not expecting any significant rain or storm that could help clean the air before the end of Copa America," meteorologist Michelle Adam told VICE News.

Authorities said vehicle traffic, some industries, and the burning of wood to fuel fires against the winter cold of June through August in Chile are contributing to the smog. Officials so far have said the football tournament would not be affected.

"The Copa America is an international commitment for Chile, so it won't be suspended," Santiago mayor Orrego Larraín told reporters.

The government temporarily paralyzed operations at 1,347 industrial sites and facilities. By Tuesday, Chile downgraded the measures to "pre-emergency" status, but the dense pollution was still seen over the capital.

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Santiago sits in a valley with the Andes mountain range on the east and a series of hills that descend toward working-class areas in the metropolitan region's west, effectively trapping pollution.

With more than six million residents, the city now has approximately 1.7 million vehicles. According to a study by Chile's environmental ministry, vehicles are to blame for 41 percent of the city's pollution, and wood burning for 36 percent. Industrial activities only produce 11 percent of the smog, the study said.

The national teams of Chile and Uruguay are set to play on Wednesday in Santiago in the quarterfinals of the Copa America.

Meanwhile, other Chilean cities that are hosting tournament matches are also suffering from high pollution levels, such as Temuco, where a quarterfinal game between Peru and Bolivia is expected on Thursday.

"If it doesn't rain between today and next week, we will have the driest first semester in Chile's history," Marcelo Mena, Chile's environmental subsecretary, said on Monday. "We've experienced severely adverse conditions."

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Follow Nicolas Ríos on Twitter @nicorios.