Sydney smoke blanket sticks around after controlled burn

Thick smoke from a prescribed burn continues to coat Sydney’s skyline with warnings for people with breathing issues to stay inside.

Thick smoke as a result of hazard reduction in Sydney seen blanketing Sydney Airport. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Thick smoke from hazard reduction burns has blanketed much of Sydney with health authorities warning air quality across the city is “poor”.

The Office of Environment and Heritage dropped the air quality level in Sydney yesterday following hazard reduction burns in the Blue Mountains and elsewhere.

NSW Rural Fire Service inspector Ben Shepherd says there’ll likely be similar levels of smoke today before it slowly dissipates.

Thick smoke as a result of hazard reduction in Sydney seen blanketing Sydney Airport. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The RFS has been monitoring weather conditions closely and rescheduled a number of burns to limit the impact on residents, Insp Shepherd said.

The ABC reported that NSW Health environmental health director Richard Broome warned many against going outside.

“Smoke from hazard reduction burns can be quite unpredictable, but we’re expecting poor air quality in a number of places across the Sydney basin into Wednesday morning,” Dr Broome said. “For most people, smoke will be no more than an irritation.

“However, I recommend that people with existing heart and lung conditions should avoid outdoor physical activity when there’s smoke around.”

Westerly winds have pushed the smoke across the city but haven’t been strong enough to break up the thick haze, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Elli Blandford says.

Smoke haze hung over Sydney city last month as well. Picture: Adam Yip

The hazy conditions were worst in the morning because smoke was trapped below a layer in the air overnight, she said.

NSW Health has warned the smoky conditions could irritate the respiratory system and aggravate existing lung and heart conditions.

People with asthma, emphysema and angina are more likely to be sensitive to the effects of smoke, environmental health director Richard Broome said in a statement.

“For most people, smoke will be no more than an irritation,” he said on Tuesday. “I recommend that people with existing heart and lung conditions should avoid outdoor physical activity when there’s smoke around.”

Originally published as Sydney smoke blanket sticks around after controlled burn