Health warning issued as air quality plummets in major Australian city

Authorities are urging pregnant women, elderly people and those with health conditions to not leave their homes.

The air quality in an Australian capital city has plumetted to levels similar to India. Picture: QLD Government

Residents of Brisbane woke up to air quality worse than a notoriously polluted city on Tuesday with authorities issuing a health warning.

A blanket of smog and the heavy smell of smoke settled over the southeast Queensland capital in the early hours of the morning.

A smoke sensor in the outer northwest suburb of Upper Kedron recorded “very poor” air quality with a reading of 139.4µg/m3 of fine particulate air matter.

Air quality in Brisbane has plummeted to ‘very poor’ levels due to a nearby backburning operation. Picture: Google Maps

As of 11.30am, the air quality remains at a “very poor” level in the CBD and in the northwest suburb of Deagon.

To compare, at the same time the lowest air quality in the capital city of India, where air quality is considered one of the worst in the world, was marked as “moderate” on the national air quality index.

The drop in air quality has been attributed to a backburning operation in Pullenvale, 20km out from the centre of Brisbane.

It is currently higher than the capital of India which commonly has one of the worst air quality’s across the globe. Picture: Google Map

Vulnerable people have been warned by health authorities to avoid leaving the house as a precaution while the air quality is so low.

Pregnant women, people over the age of 65 and those who suffer from asthma are advised to stay inside and keep windows and doors shut to avoid breathing in the air.

Even healthy residents have been urged not to exercise until the air quality has returned to better quality.