Reduction Smoke to linger until next week
THICK smoke blanketing the Gold Coast is expected to remain until next week, dispersing slightly over the weekend as winds pick up.
Since hazard reduction burns began on Wednesday, locals struggling with the heavy smoke have been forced to don face masks and some schools have cancelled outdoor play time.
Henry Waterman, senior ranger with the Department of National Parks, Sport and Recreation on the Gold Coast, said the smoke spread so heavily yesterday because winds were slight.
“We were expecting the breezes to be more active than they were,” Mr Waterman said.
“The bureau forecast winds to be around 10km/h and up to 15km/h (yesterday) but because the burning area in Nerang is low lying, the breezes couldn’t push down into their affected areas as forecast or expected.”
The fire was planned and mapped within existing fire and containment lines. Other controlled burns are under way on North Stradbroke Island and in the Freshwater National Park north of Brisbane, and in the Northern Rivers district south of the Tweed.
“I want to stress that our burn has been successful and was fully under control,’’ Mr Waterman said of the local controlled fire.
The burns were scheduled to continue until Monday.
A Weatherzone forecaster predicted increased wind speeds would disperse the smoke. He said winds were increasing yesterday afternoon.
“(That) will continue into tomorrow and that will help to disperse any smoke making its way across the Gold Coast,” he said.
“The main fires affecting the Gold Coast will be the ones in the area because the wind is blowing in a northwesterly direction.
“Those winds will remain quite gusty until Saturday afternoon and that will help the smoke disperse.’’
Fires still burning last night would become more difficult to contain because of wind, the spokesman said.
With the Gold Coast sitting between burn areas around Brisbane and NSW’s Northern Rivers area, it was likely to be