Air quality monitors in the Auckland region returned some unusual results in early December as the impact of bushfires across the Tasman was felt here.
Auckland Council air quality expert Dr Shanju Xie says monitors at three sites recorded high PM10 concentrations, the measurements for particulates in the air.
“Our representative monitoring sites at Papatoetoe, Patumahoe and Penrose all recorded air quality measurements just above the National Environmental Standard on Friday 6 December 2019 due to a dispersed plume of smoke from the large bushfires in New South Wales.
“Australian bushfires produce huge amounts of dust and smoke, and our thoughts are with Australia as they continue to battle the fires and resulting poor air quality there.
"Westerly winds can transport the plume across the Tasman Sea to Auckland and other areas of New Zealand. In Auckland, we’re fortunate that the plume typically remains high and only results in spectacular sunsets but in certain wind conditions, it can cause elevated level of fine particles (PM10) at ground level, as occurred on Friday.
“Monitoring has returned to a normal level with PM10 levels now much lower than the health-based standards; however, we will continue to keep an eye on results while the bushfires continue to burn,” Dr Xie says.
Regulatory Committee Chair, Councillor Linda Cooper, says under Resource Management Act requirements, the council is required to report any breach of National Environment Standards.
“Believe it or not, this doesn’t happen very often in our region,” says Cr Cooper.
“Unlike other major cities in the world, our air quality doesn’t often reach extreme levels.
“This exceedance follows high PM10 levels reported during the SkyCity NZ International Convention Centre fire in October.
“We are required under RMA regulations to report any breach of national air quality standards and, previous to 2019, had last reported an exceedance six years ago, in October 2013, following a breach monitored on Khyber Pass Road in Grafton.
“PM10 are tiny particles that are invisible to the human eye and can affect health, especially in asthmatics and people with heart and lung disease,” says Cr Cooper.
Read more about air quality during the recent SkyCity International Convention Centre fire here.
Read more about the impact of air quality on human health on the Auckland Regional Public Health Service’s website.
