UNDER the heading “Millions of Australians Are Choking on Smoke From Wildfires”, “The New York Times” is reporting the problems and dangers of the smoke that has enveloped Canberra from nearby fires for nearly a week. 

The paper is reporting that an elderly woman is reported to have died yesterday (January 3) after going into respiratory distress when she got off a plane at Canberra Airport.

It says: “The city recorded its worst air quality day on January 2, with readings of dangerous fine particulate pollution spiking to over 200 micrograms per cubic metre on average during the worst hour, according to Berkeley Earth, a non-profit research group that aggregates data from air-quality monitoring sites.

“Readings for the day averaged nearly 100 micrograms per cubic metre, a level considered ‘unhealthy’ under air quality standards developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency.”

The report explains that wildfires release air pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide, which can harm the health of residents nearby and firefighters on the front lines.

“Another byproduct of burning, fine particulate pollution known as PM2.5 because particles measure less than 2.5 micrometers across, can be transported long distances.

“Breathing in these tiny particles can worsen asthma and other respiratory disorders, and lead to heart attack and stroke, among a slew of other health effects. High levels of PM2.5 pollution are particularly harmful to older people, the very young and people with compromised immune systems.”

Meanwhile, Canberrans will continue to see visible smoke across the ACT from fires burning in NSW, says the ACT Emergency Services Agency.

However, they say there are currently no grass or bush fires in the ACT.

If anyone sees an unattended fire in the ACT, they should call Triple Zero (000).

More on the State of Alert in the ACT at esa.act.gov.au.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/03/climate/australia-fires-air.html