Smoke haze shrouds Brisbane due to hazard reduction burns

Brisbane’s CBD all but vanished on Wednesday afternoon as smoke from nearby fires blanketed SEQ, with elevated smoke and dust health action levels remaining on Thursdsay in certain areas.

Smoke Haze covers Brisbane City, Mt Cootha, on Thursday 20th June 2024 - Photo Steve Pohlner

Smoke is expected to linger across Brisbane on Thursday and into Friday as backburning operations continue across southeast Queensland.

Rural Fire Service Superintendent James Haig said “a little bit of smoke” can be expected from the backburning operations.

“We’ve got a fair bit of hazard reduction burning going on right across Queensland,” Superintendent Haig said.

“We’ve had a fair bit of rain particularly in coastal areas, and the colder weather we’ve had in the last three, four weeks has helped to dry that out and we’ve seen the vegetation become ready to burn.

Smoke Haze covers Brisbane City, Mt Cootha, on Thursday 20th June 2024 - Photo Steve Pohlner

“We do expect a little bit of smoke, it’s very much regretted the smoke, however, our key focus is very much that this is about protecting our communities for the bushfire season that is coming ahead,” he said.

It comes as parts of the city are experiencing poor air quality on Thursday, including Lytton Rocklea, and South Brisbane, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said a ridge of high-pressure over SEQ had exacerbated the smoke and was likely to remain in place on Friday.

“There will be a change in wind direction as the day progresses, so that’ll move any smoke around to different parts, depending on where the fires are to start with,” she said.

🌥️Smoke haze is likely around #SEQld again today with several hazard reduction burns in the region. See QFES warnings at: https://t.co/NRjQgsJgH0
Monitor air quality at: https://t.co/fQvZ5KKpzu and health advice: https://t.co/NLh1qD4nS6

— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) June 20, 2024

Ms Reid said the smoke was less likely to be as much of a problem on Saturday.

“But Sunday could return to being a situation where if the air contains smoke, it would get trapped, ” she said.

According to Queensland Health, residents are encouraged to close windows and doors, use fans or air conditioning on re-circulating mode to keep cool, keep medications close by if suffering a respiratory condition, and be vigilant in taking prescribed medications for existing lung conditions.

People with asthma are encouraged to follow their personal asthma plan.

Smoke across Brisbane city in a photo from Mt Coot-tha. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The smoke issue started on Wednesday, but dragged through into Thursday.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s recorded measurements at 7am on Thursday, fair air quality was recorded at Deagon with a PM2.5 concentration of 26.3µg/m3, while poor air quality has been recorded at Upper Kedron with a PM2.5 concentration of 80.5µg/m3.

Poor air quality has also been recorded where hazard reduction burns are taking place in regional Queensland, with Kingaroy recording a PM2.5 concentration of 53.9µg/m3, while Tin Can Bay has recorded a level of 62 µg/m3.

Very poor air quality has also been recorded in Yeppoon on Thursday morning, with a PM2.5 concentration of 128.6µg/m3.

AVOID SMOKE (HAZARD REDUCTION BURN) - Greater Brisbane - fire as at 4:57pm Wednesday, 19 June 2024
For all current warnings, updates and mapping go to https://t.co/J7gghFTxkApic.twitter.com/MsMcz5r7NX

— Qld Fire & Emergency (@QldFES) June 19, 2024

A QFES spokesman said fire crews were assisting Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service who led the burns with the biggest being 2000ha at Mt Nebo.

He said five to six crews were attending the burn.

According to the QFES hazard reduction burn notifications another burn on South Stradbroke Island was ignited on Tuesday, and one at Ford Rd section of the Daisy Hill Conservation Park.

Smoke Haze covers Brisbane City, Mt Cootha, on Thursday 20th June 2024 - Photo Steve Pohlner

The Department of Environment and Science’s air quality monitoring system recorded poor air quality at Mogill with a PM2.5 concentration of 56.2µg/m3, and moderate air quality at Upper Kedron and South Brisbane.

Residents near areas with poor air quality have been advised to reduce outdoor physical activity if they develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath.

Sensitive groups were advised to avoid outdoor physical activity if they develop symptoms like cough or shortness of breath and to close windows and doors when indoors until outdoor air quality is better.

The Brisbane CBD skyline covered by smoke and haze today. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell