Melbourne’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Sunday, with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) rating conditions in the CBD as Very Poor from 8am amid heavy smoke drifting across the city. Several suburbs in the inner and outer west including Footscray and Melton recorded the same rating, as did parts of the north‑east.
The worst conditions were reported in Sunbury, in Melbourne’s north‑west, where air quality reached Extremely Poor, the highest alert level on the EPA scale, from 9am.
Smoke also disrupted sporting events, with the men’s third‑round Australian Open match between Casper Ruud and Marin Čilić briefly halted overnight so the roof at Margaret Court Arena could be closed. Despite the lingering haze, arena roofs remained open on Sunday.
Smoke to Persist Before Gradual Improvement
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Diana Eadie said the “significant” smoke haze was expected to linger into the afternoon. She warned that areas north of the Otway bushfires including Ballarat could also experience worsening air quality due to southerly winds pushing smoke inland.
Eadie said conditions should begin to ease on Monday, though Melbourne may face another wave of smoke on Wednesday following forecast record‑breaking heat on Tuesday, depending on how the fire situation develops.
Otways Bushfire Threatens Homes
The out‑of‑control bushfire in Victoria’s south‑west intensified overnight, posing a growing threat to communities in the Otways. The Carlisle River fire is now just one kilometre from Gellibrand, spreading eastward. An Emergency Warning remains in place, advising residents that the fire could impact homes at any moment.
Authorities continue to urge residents in affected areas to stay alert, monitor emergency updates and avoid outdoor activity where possible due to hazardous air quality.
+ There are no comments
Add yours