Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) will use mobile equipment to monitor air quality around local schools in the Dallas and Coolaroo areas from 730am-930am on Monday 17 July 2017 to give the community confidence in their environment.
EPA’s smoke track instrument is a dust track particle monitor configured for measuring ambient air from a moving vehicle and gives real time measurement results.
EPA will also provide monitoring around the school areas from 2pm-430pm.
EPA will provide the results of its air monitoring to schools as it becomes available.
EPA's mobile air monitoring equipment is being used in addition to four monitors that have been stationed at points around the Coolaroo blaze, now considered under control. These sites continue to monitor air quality in the area.
Monitoring of air quality will continue in the Coolaroo and Dallas areas until it is no longer required.
Information about the impacts of smoke can be found, here: http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/your-environment/air/effects-of-smoke
For the latest updates on the incident, people are encouraged to visit www.emergency.vic.gov.au
Data from EPA’s air quality monitoring equipment deployed to the fire at Coolaroo is available hourly from EPA’s AirWatch website.
EPA advises people that if they can smell smoke and are concerned they should try to avoid the smoke by staying inside or avoiding the area if possible.
Good to very good air quality is forecast for Melbourne and the Latrobe Valley today.