Sydney smoke: air quality among worst in world due to hazard-reduction burns | Bushfires

A haze of smoke has settled across Sydney for another day, with hazard-reduction burns continuing ahead of the weekend when temperatures are forecast to hit 30C.

Much of Sydney was blanketed in smoke early on Thursday morning with poor or very poor air quality in suburbs including Alexandria, Earlwood, Lidcombe, Randwick, Rozelle, Prospect, Rouse Hill, Bringelly and Oakdale.

The city was ranked third-worst in the world for air quality at the time by IQAir, a live map monitoring global air pollution.

Smoke was expected to remain over parts of Sydney and the Central Coast until late in the week, the RFS said on Tuesday.

The smoke from hazard-reduction burn sites generally improves mid-morning, according to the NSW Planning and Environment website.

But some Sydney Marathon runners competing this weekend have health concerns, with NSW anticipating temperatures 10-14C above average.

The Sydney Marathon race director, Wayne Larden, said organisers were working with the RFS ahead of Sunday’s race to minimise the impact of smoke.

“Sydney Marathon has taken several precautionary steps, including increasing the availability of hydration capacity and medical assistance points along the course,” Larden said.

“This is in addition to the existing rigorous safety protocols and medical support available on the course.”

Thursday night’s NRL Women’s Premiership match between Wests Tigers and Newcastle Knights has been moved to Leichardt Oval from Campbelltown Stadium over concerns the air quality was “unsuitable due to burning in the region”.

The NSW Rural Fire Service has said it will continue hazard-reduction burns in the months leading up to bushfire season and smoke will continue to be trapped in the Sydney basin.

“Smoke goes in there overnight and the inversion layer comes in and just traps that in the morning until a bit of a breeze picks up,” the RFS commissioner, Rob Rogers, said on Monday.

“For some people, it is just an inconvenience, but to others, it does have health impacts on them.”