Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has responded to peat fires in southwest Victoria with six air monitoring stations currently assessing air pollutants at various distances from the fires.
In addition to stations positioned at Camperdown, Terang and Cobden since 20 March, a further three mobile air monitoring stations are positioned nearer to the peat fires, at lakes Cobrico and Elingamite.
To provide ongoing community protection, EPA has moved some equipment from its permanent air quality monitoring network to further strengthen air quality monitoring in the south west in response to the fires.
Equipment from EPA’s Macleod, Box Hill and Dandenong air quality monitoring stations will today replace mobile air quality monitoring equipment positioned at Camperdown, Terang and Cobden.
This means monitoring for PM2.5 from the Macleod, Box Hill and Dandenong stations will be temporarily unavailable. Equipment from these stations is solar powered and was selected for its long-term durability.
The locations in the south west have been selected to protect the district’s most concentrated populations, Victoria’s Chief Environmental Scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood said.
“As authorities believe it could take some weeks to control these peat fires, we’ve taken steps to ensure our air quality monitoring network is best positioned to support a long-term firefighting effort.”
Air quality monitoring stations in Camperdown, Terang and Cobden are monitoring PM2.5, which are small particles found in peat fire smoke that can affect the lungs if inhaled in sufficient concentrations.
In addition to PM2.5, air quality monitoring stations nearer to the peat firesare mesauring levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and other gases to ensure farms and homes closer to the fires are also protected.
CO is a clear, odourless gas produced in higher quantities by peat fires than by ordinary bushfires and is generally contained to within 1km of the peat smoke plume.
CO builds up gradually in the human body over a period of hours. It is also gradually removed after exposure stops.
It is recommended that if you are within 1km of the peat smoke plume, you relocate overnight, and take precautionary steps such as reducing exposures and making sure you minimize the time you at your property during the day.
For those people within 1-6km of the peat smoke plume, it is recommended that outdoor physical activity be avoided.
Anyone with a heart or lung condition should take their medication as prescribed by their doctor and people with asthma should follow their asthma management plan.
Live air quality data from all air quality monitoring stations is available at EPA’s AirWatch website.
‘Having continuous access to accurate scientific data on air quality helps the Incident Controller to make informed decisions on actions to ensure the wellbeing of members of the public, firefighters and other personnel in the area,’ Dr Hinwood said.
‘EPA’s air quality monitoring stations will continue to support the firefighting and community recovery efforts under way in South West Victoria for as long as they are needed.’
‘The relocation of PM
2.5 monitors from the Box Hill, Macleod and Dandenong sites will not affect the information given to the public on air quality at these sites. Air quality forecasts for these areas are good to very good for the next few days.’