FIRES outside of the Bathurst region have had an impact on the running of events locally.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Sunday, Bathurst Cycling Club was forced to cancel its scratch race due to the amount of smoke in the air.
The poor air quality persisted overnight and by Monday morning the numerical air quality rating for the Central Tablelands was well into the 'hazardous' range.
Bathurst Touch Football had to cancel games planned for Monday afternoon, and Bathurst Harness Racing called off its race meeting.
CEO Danny Dwyer said the decision to cancel the race meeting was in response to the rating on the Air Pollution Index.
"The chief steward tried to push the meeting across to another day but the schedule's that tight at the moment at it couldn't be done," he said.
While Carols by Candlelight went ahead on Sunday, it was hurt by the air quality.
Director of the Bathurst City and RSL Concert Band, Wendy Jenkins, said three members pulled out of the performance on Sunday.
Others who chose to play did so with some difficulty.
"It's quite challenging, especially for some who couldn't come along. The constant taking breath in all the time was difficult, and it was a bit hard on the eyes, reading the music," she said.
Ms Jenkins said band members were quick to leave after the event concluded.
The band has two other outdoor performances scheduled this month.
There is some concern about how difficult these may be if the smoky conditions continue, but Ms Jenkins said there are no plans to cancel them.
"We'll certainly manage. We don't want to let anyone down," she said.
The Western NSW Local Health District's manager of Health Protection, Priscilla Stanley, has reinforced the need for people with breathing problems to take action to avoid being affected by bushfire smoke.
"For most people, the smoke may cause mild symptoms such as sore eyes, nose and throat, but for people with conditions such as asthma, emphysema and angina, smoke can trigger more serious symptoms," she said.
"The most effective step that people affected by the smoke can take at this point is to avoid exposure and avoid outdoor physical activity as much as possible, and stay indoors with the doors and windows closed, preferably in airconditioned areas."
People who have asthma or a lung condition and develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, need to follow their asthma or COPD action plan.
"If your conditions don't settle, you should contact your doctor," Ms Stanley said.
In November, the WNSWLHD saw an increase of about 17 per cent more emergency presentations for 'shortness of breath' than for the same period in 2018, and the number of those people who were admitted to hospital increased by 39 per cent.
The largest increase of people presenting to emergency departments with a respiratory disease diagnosis was in the 65 years and over aged group.
