Smoky haze blankets Adelaide after prescribed burn at the Cleland National Park

Did you smell it? Residents reported smelling fire late into the night on Monday with smoke visible from the eastern suburbs into the city. So what caused it?

The smoky haze blanketing the city and the smell of fire across Adelaide on Monday night has been attributed to nearby burn offs.

Residents reported smelling smoke late into the night on Monday with smoke visible in the eastern suburbs into the city.

An Environment Department prescribed burn at the Cleland National Park has been blamed for the smell but the CFS told The Advertiser a number of other burn-offs in nearby areas might also have contributed.

Prescribed burning is the controlled and planned use of fire to clear an area and reduce the bushfire risk.

According to the Environment Department, they are referred to as prescribed burns because they follow a ‘prescription’ with a number of conditions that need to be met including fuel load; fuel moisture; temperature; relative humidity; and wind direction and speed.

Meanwhile, Adelaide recorded its driest run of February-April weather in 100 years and has only had 0.6mm so far in May.

Originally published as Smoky haze blankets Adelaide after prescribed burn at the Cleland National Park