About Aurora

Air quality

During winter parts of Tasmania have some of the dirtiest air in Australia. This is a fact which none of us should be proud of.

One of the main contributors to air pollution in urban Tasmania is scientifically proven to be woodsmoke ('State of the Air' Community Summary, 1991–2001. The Department of the Environment and Heritage).

Apart from the stench, visual impact and low visibility caused by the smoke, it is also a threat to the health of many Tasmanians.

Woodsmoke consists of very small solid particles that float in the air; these are the finest residue of what is left when you burn wood. These particles are small enough to be inhaled into the deepest part of our lungs. Particles that are 10 micros or less in diameter – or around 1/7 the thickness of human hair – are known as PM10. PM stands for particulate matter.

The Tamar Valley has the most serious recorded concentrations of PM10 in Tasmania, although accurate measurements have yet to be taken in all areas of the state.

Learn more about air quality in Tasmania (external link).

View a Woodsmoke fact sheet (PDF 113KB)