Air quality near Sydney is worse than Beijing as hazardous smoke from severe bushfires whipped up by strong winds chokes the city
- Warm, dry and windy weather is forecast for NSW on Wednesday
- In Camden, the air quality rating was three times the hazardous level
- State government has forecast ‘poor’ air quality for parts of Sydney
Firefighters are facing tough conditions while bushfires surrounding Sydney will again pollute air quality in parts of the city.
Warm, dry and windy weather is forecast for the state on Wednesday, with total fire bans in place for the greater Hunter region, the northern slopes region and northwestern NSW.
Fire danger ratings are very high along the NSW coast as well as in the southern and central ranges.
In Camden, the air quality rating was three times the hazardous level – delivering a reading worse than Beijing.
Firefighters are facing tough conditions while bushfires surrounding Sydney will again pollute air quality in parts of the city. Pictured: Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have utilised marie-based equipment to assist containing the Green Wattle Creek fire near Warragamba Dam. The boats will transport firefighters in to hard to access areas
A Firefighter watches a fire spreading out of control near Stanford Merthyr, west of Newcastle, New South Wales
‘Windy and generally dry conditions will result in elevated fire dangers across parts of NSW (on Wednesday),’ the Bureau of Meteorology said.
The state government has again forecast ‘poor’ air quality for parts of Sydney, with thick smoke settling in the city basin.
Lingering smoke could be ‘unhealthy for sensitive people, and could cause symptoms, especially in people with heart or lung disease’, the state’s environment department said.
Air quality was ‘hazardous’ in Sydney’s east and southwest on Tuesday but ‘good’ in the northwest.
The smoke is coming from large bushfires in the Blue Mountains and others near Warragamba Dam, and in the Hawkesbury area.
Lingering smoke could be ‘unhealthy for sensitive people, and could cause symptoms. Pictured: Firefighters using boats to contain the Green Wattle Creek fire near Warragamba Dam
Fire and Rescue officers try to contain a bushfire near Kioloa, New South Wales on Tuesday
There were some 111 fires burning across NSW on Tuesday evening, with 54 of these uncontained.
The Currowan blaze near Batemans Bay has so far destroyed at least one home near Kioloa.
The fire reached coastal areas on Tuesday evening.
Damage assessment teams investigating the impact of the Currowan fire have so far been hampered by ongoing dangerous conditions.
‘The fire has reached the coast in some areas,’ The NSW Rural Fire Service said on Tuesday evening.
‘Firefighters and aircraft are working to protect homes where possible.’
The Currowan fire has burnt through more than 30,000 hectares.
A second emergency alert was issued on Tuesday night for a bushfire burning near the northwestern outskirts of Sydney.
The 1800-hectare Three Mile fire is near the town of Wisemans Ferry and is close to the eastern boundary of the 220,000-hectare Gospers Mountain blaze.
The emergency warning was downgraded to a watch and act alert later on Tuesday night.
A helicopter flies over a fire near Stanford Merthyr, west of Newcastle, New South Wales