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A number of flights have been cancelled in Melbourne as thick smoke continues to cover the city.
A Melbourne Tullamarine Airport spokesperson told 9News dozens of flights were suspended this morning with more expected throughout the day.
They airport is operating with a single runway and it will be "a number of days before flights resume at a normal rate."
According to NASA, there is a possibility that the smoke from the Australian bushfires will circumnavigate the globe to make it back to the nation. (EPA/AAP)
It comes as most of Victoria once again suffering through heavy smoke, which is forecast to disperse as rain sweeps through the state.
Hazardous air quality alerts will be in place until at least this evening for the smoke blanketing central and eastern Victoria.
The state recorded the worst air quality in the world yesterday, as smoke from East Gippsland fires spread and authorities alerted vulnerable groups to stay indoors.
"When you reach the hazardous air quality range anyone can develop symptoms," Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said yesterday.
"There can be eye, nose and throat irritation, people can have a cough develop or worse, or even wheeze."
Rain and cooler weather expected to hit the state this afternoon will help disperse the bushfire smoke, improving the air quality forecast for tomorrow to a moderate rating.
The Bureau of Meteorology said cooler conditions will remain for Victoria until the weekend, with maximum temperatures in the low 20s.
Rain and thunderstorms accompanying the cool change will hardly help firefighters battling blazes in the state's east and northeast.
Further north
But the air pollution situation is even worse further north.
According to the World Air Quality Index, the Melbourne suburb of Melton has a ranking of
591, worse than any city in China or India.
But that figure is 636 in the Alpine town of Omeo, and 676 in the Gippsland town of 676.
But the worst in the world is the northern Victorian town of Wangaratta, which recorded a rating of 899 at 9am today.
Every town and city measured in Victoria is currently ranked as unhealthy.
By contrast, Canberra is rated as 74 today, a moderate rating.
And despite a haze over Sydney, most air quality ratings in the Harbour City are rated as good.
Smoke affects tennis qualifiers
Dalila Jakupovic was forced to retire from qualifying at the Australian Open. (Twitter)
Players in Australian Open qualifying are set to again battle through smoke at Melbourne Park.
A number of players complained about the conditions yesterday, including Australian Bernard
Tomic, who sought medical treatment during his first round loss when he struggled to breathe.
Slovenia's Dalila Jakupovic feared she would pass out before retiring from her match when she collapsed to her knees with a coughing fit.
Tennis Australia says it will continue to work with their medical team, the Bureau of Meterology and Environment Protection Authority Victoria scientists when making decisions about whether it's safe to play.
TA says it has installed measuring devices on-site for air quality, with play cleared to continue during the opening round of qualifying.
Horse racing at Yarra Valley and Caulfield has also been cancelled today.
Emergency warnings issued
An emergency warning remains in place for the Victorian town of Tamboon, where residents have been told to take shelter as bushfires flared.
The fire at Tamboon and Tamboon South is not yet under control, Vic Emergency said earlier this morning.
The recent bushfires have burned 1.4 million hectares across the state. Four people have died, with 353 homes and 548 other structures destroyed. (Getty)
Emergency services reported the fire was creating its own weather pattern in Tamboon while becoming erratic.
The bushfire is travelling from Croajingolong National Park in a westerly direction towards
Tamboon and Tamboon South.
The alert was first issued last night as the firefront grew, warning residents it was too late to leave.
"You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive," the alert said.
"The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately.
"It is too late to leave."
A second fire is burning at watch and act level at Tabberabbera.
Less than 5mm of rain and thunderstorms are forecast for fire-affected areas, bringing dry lightning that could spark new fires.
Central Victoria could see between 5mm and 15mm of rainfall.
The recent bushfires have burned 1.4 million hectares across the state. Four people have died, with 353 homes and 548 other structures destroyed.
Seventeen fires were burning in Victoria last night.
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/national/v...warnings/af5b4d18-aed5-481d-a401-c2d963a4ccb1
A Melbourne Tullamarine Airport spokesperson told 9News dozens of flights were suspended this morning with more expected throughout the day.
They airport is operating with a single runway and it will be "a number of days before flights resume at a normal rate."
According to NASA, there is a possibility that the smoke from the Australian bushfires will circumnavigate the globe to make it back to the nation. (EPA/AAP)
It comes as most of Victoria once again suffering through heavy smoke, which is forecast to disperse as rain sweeps through the state.
Hazardous air quality alerts will be in place until at least this evening for the smoke blanketing central and eastern Victoria.
The state recorded the worst air quality in the world yesterday, as smoke from East Gippsland fires spread and authorities alerted vulnerable groups to stay indoors.
"When you reach the hazardous air quality range anyone can develop symptoms," Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said yesterday.
"There can be eye, nose and throat irritation, people can have a cough develop or worse, or even wheeze."
Rain and cooler weather expected to hit the state this afternoon will help disperse the bushfire smoke, improving the air quality forecast for tomorrow to a moderate rating.
The Bureau of Meteorology said cooler conditions will remain for Victoria until the weekend, with maximum temperatures in the low 20s.
Rain and thunderstorms accompanying the cool change will hardly help firefighters battling blazes in the state's east and northeast.
Further north
But the air pollution situation is even worse further north.
According to the World Air Quality Index, the Melbourne suburb of Melton has a ranking of
591, worse than any city in China or India.
But that figure is 636 in the Alpine town of Omeo, and 676 in the Gippsland town of 676.
But the worst in the world is the northern Victorian town of Wangaratta, which recorded a rating of 899 at 9am today.
Every town and city measured in Victoria is currently ranked as unhealthy.
By contrast, Canberra is rated as 74 today, a moderate rating.
And despite a haze over Sydney, most air quality ratings in the Harbour City are rated as good.
Smoke affects tennis qualifiers
Dalila Jakupovic was forced to retire from qualifying at the Australian Open. (Twitter)
Players in Australian Open qualifying are set to again battle through smoke at Melbourne Park.
A number of players complained about the conditions yesterday, including Australian Bernard
Tomic, who sought medical treatment during his first round loss when he struggled to breathe.
Slovenia's Dalila Jakupovic feared she would pass out before retiring from her match when she collapsed to her knees with a coughing fit.
Tennis Australia says it will continue to work with their medical team, the Bureau of Meterology and Environment Protection Authority Victoria scientists when making decisions about whether it's safe to play.
TA says it has installed measuring devices on-site for air quality, with play cleared to continue during the opening round of qualifying.
Horse racing at Yarra Valley and Caulfield has also been cancelled today.
Emergency warnings issued
An emergency warning remains in place for the Victorian town of Tamboon, where residents have been told to take shelter as bushfires flared.
The fire at Tamboon and Tamboon South is not yet under control, Vic Emergency said earlier this morning.
The recent bushfires have burned 1.4 million hectares across the state. Four people have died, with 353 homes and 548 other structures destroyed. (Getty)
Emergency services reported the fire was creating its own weather pattern in Tamboon while becoming erratic.
The bushfire is travelling from Croajingolong National Park in a westerly direction towards
Tamboon and Tamboon South.
The alert was first issued last night as the firefront grew, warning residents it was too late to leave.
"You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive," the alert said.
"The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately.
"It is too late to leave."
A second fire is burning at watch and act level at Tabberabbera.
Less than 5mm of rain and thunderstorms are forecast for fire-affected areas, bringing dry lightning that could spark new fires.
Central Victoria could see between 5mm and 15mm of rainfall.
The recent bushfires have burned 1.4 million hectares across the state. Four people have died, with 353 homes and 548 other structures destroyed.
Seventeen fires were burning in Victoria last night.
© AAP 2020
https://www.9news.com.au/national/v...warnings/af5b4d18-aed5-481d-a401-c2d963a4ccb1
