Brisbane smoke haze to persist as another hazard reduction burn starts

A smoke haze that has choked Greater Brisbane this week, leading to a spike in asthma cases, is set to persist as another hazard reduction burn begins.

• Full list: Top asthma hotspot suburbs

South East Queensland residents are being warned a smoke haze that has blanketed the region since Sunday could persist for coming weeks due to ongoing hazard reduction burns.

Brisbane GPs have been inundated with asthma patients struggling to breathe due to smoke from a burn in Upper Brookfield that started Sunday, affecting air quality.

While smoke from that burn is expected to linger until at least Friday, another hazard reduction burn at Daisy Hill Conservation Park south of Brisbane starts today.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, which is conducting the burn, is warning smoke may impact Rochedale, Shailer Park, Springwood, Priestdale and Daisy Hill.

On Thursday morning, the Department of Environment and Science’s air quality monitoring system recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 69.5µg/m3 at Moggill on Thursday morning, 14 times the recommended level. It was 20 times that level on Tuesday.

A smoke warning for the Upper Brookfield operation remains active, covering Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Logan, and the Gold Coast council areas.

Meanwhile. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice-president Bruce Willett said it was vital sufferers had asthma management plans in place with their doctors.

“We are seeing an increase in respiratory conditions and of course, it’s coming on the back of significant amounts (of people infected with) flu, RSV and, still, Covid,” he said.

“The increase in respiratory (concerns are) as a result of the combination of the smoke, and the viruses all going around at once.”

Dr Willett said although the smoke could make symptoms of the flu or Covid worse, it was asthma patients he held the most concern for.

“The things for those folks is to stay indoors, you can close windows and doors and, you know, airconditioning on if you need,” he said. “Some people now have air purifiers and they are recommended.”

Dr Willet said people should also talk to their doctor about an asthma management plan: “It so often gets forgotten.”

Emergency departments across the South East have not reported an increase in patients with respiratory conditions that could be attributed to the smoke.

Originally published as Brisbane smoke haze to persist as another hazard reduction burn starts