Health warning issued as smoke haze blankets Sydney
Thick smoke has blanketed Sydney, pushing air pollution to dangerous levels.
People stepped outside their doors this morning to the unmistakable smell of bushfire smoke.
It’s stemming from hazard reduction burns in the Blue Mountains which has been pushed towards the coast.
Similar conditions for the Greater Sydney area tomorrow morning, with smoke unlikely to lift until around lunchtime. Additional hazard reduction burns in the Sydney area have been postponed for the next 24 hours. https://t.co/YlxU9dGi4W #NSWRFS
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) May 21, 2019
A health warning has been put in place for those with asthma and other breathing problems.
NSW Health is reminding people that children, the elderly and people with heart and lung conditions are most susceptible to the effects of air pollution and excessive smoke.
The haze may dissipate slightly this afternoon, but will hang around for days.
Ben Shepherd from the Rural Fire Service says they have postponed any further burns while the smoke disappears.
“We should start to see that smoke now dissipate over the coming days.
“We haven’t lit any further burns today, we’re not going to light any further burns tomorrow.”
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