Air quality in Sydney, Australia, plummeted to one of the worst levels in the world on Tuesday (19 December) as smoke from wildfires in the north blanketed over the city, on par with New Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities.
Smog is rare in Sydney, known for its beaches and blue skies, but the smog is clearly visible in the sky as Grey Cloud hovers over the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge on Tuesday.
After 5pm (2pm Singapore time) on Tuesday, the air quality index for areas north of central Sydney reached 161, which is the level at which people are advised to avoid prolonged outdoor exercise. But the village fire department noted that the south wind should start to disperse the smoke at night.
According to the fire department, the smoke from the fire has drifted hundreds of kilometers to the south, burning an area of about 136,000 hectares.
Authorities have warned that Australia will enter a high-risk bushfire season this summer after two quiet seasons. The "Black Summer" fires of 2019-2020 destroyed forests the size of Turkey and killed 33 people.
Energy company Santos halted work on a gas project 420km northwest of Sydney due to a runaway fire in Piliga Forest, south of the town of Narabri. A company spokesperson said in a statement: "The fire in Piliga is very worrying. Although there is no risk to our facilities, we have temporarily ceased operations. ”