Bathurst endured a hazy end to 2019, with the region enduring hazardous air conditions throughout much of December.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
According the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and the Environment's Air Quality Index [AQI], Bathurst experienced 19 days of hazardous air conditions last month, including eight straight days from December 16 to 24 and from December 27 onwards.
Bathurst experienced some respite from hazardous air conditions across Christmas Day and Boxing Day, however the air quality still rated 'very poor' on the AQI.
The AQI measures air quality on the basis of particle pollution and visibility, with ratings over 200 considered hazardous and between 150 and 199 very poor.
December 17 was the worst day for Bathurst's air quality, returning a peak AQI of 798, four times the minimum hazardous level.
In contrast, Orange's worst day for air quality [December 19] reached a peak AQI of 1837, more than nine times the minimum hazardous level.
"Bathurst is being impacted by smoke from the ongoing bushfire crisis, particularly the Gospers Mountain fire and other fires in the Blue Mountains during easterly winds," a spokesperson from the Department of Planning, Industry and the Environment said.
"Additionally, while the state-wide severe drought continues, dust levels will be high, especially during westerly winds and the passage of frontal weather systems."
Bathurst experienced an additional six days of hazardous air conditions in November.
The Western NSW Local Health District [WNSWLHD] experienced a rise in patients expressing 'shortness of breath' throughout November.
"Across the district, there was a 17 per cent increase in emergency department presentations for 'shortness of breath' [up to 580 from 496 in November 2018], and the number of those people who were admitted to hospital increased by 39 per cent [up to 289 from 208 in November 2018]," a WNSWLHD spokesperson said.
"The largest increase was in the 65 years and older age group."
For more information on the AQI, visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/aqi.aspx.
