News and updates

Heavy smoke impacts across Morwell throughout the weekend

22 Feb 2014


EPA Victoria has issued a high level smoke alert this weekend across Morwell South and Morwell East due to the forecast impacts on the town of south-westerly winds.

EPA CEO John Merritt said the alert was to heighten community awareness of the primary health issue, small particulates in the air from the mine fire, continue into next week.

“These events are weather dependent, so we’re urging locals to heed health warnings, stay indoors and reduce activity levels to limit exposure to the smoke,” Mr Merritt said.

EPA has stepped up monitoring throughout the area.

“We have doubled our air quality monitoring in the Latrobe Valley region and sent in our principal scientific experts and emergency staff to manage monitoring and assessment of this unprecedented situation,” Mr Merritt said. .

“We have installed new particulate monitoring stations and mobile equipment to track carbon monoxide, ensuring the data we provide to emergency services and the Department of Health is accurate and timely.”

These are our monitoring locations and a breakdown of terms is online:

  • 80 Princes Dv Morwell (Dust Monitor; PM2.5 and PM10)
  • 136 Helen St Morwell West (Dust Monitor; PM2.5 and PM10)
  • 147-163 Maryvale Rd Morwell (Dust Monitor; PM2.5 and PM10)
  • TAFE Morwell Southeast (Dust Monitor; PM2.5 and PM10)
  • 54 Hazelwood Road, Morwell (Fixed Monitoring Station ‘Morwell South’; CO, PM2.5 and PM10, SO2, visibility and MFB/CFA AreaRae (CO)
  • 14 Maryvale Crescent, Morwell (In situ CO) and MFB/CFA AreaRAE (CO)
  • 14 Hazelwood Road, Morwell (In situ CO)
  • Commercial Road Primary School (In situ CO)
  • Sacred Heart Primary School (In situ CO)
  • Woolum Belum Koorie P-12 School (In situ CO)
  • Morwell Park Primary School (In situ CO)
  • The Boulevade, Morwell (Fixed Monitoring Station ‘Morwell East’; CO, PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and visibility)
  • Kay St, Traralgon (Fixed Monitoring Station CO, PM2.5, PM10)
  • Regional Hospital, Princes Highway, Traralgon West (In situ CO)
  • Roving vehicle-mounted particulates “Travel Blanket” (PM2.5 and PM10)

Page last updated on 27 Feb 2014