Collie shrouded in haze

Collie shrouded in haze

17 February 2012

published by http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest

Australia — COLLIE was under a blanket of haze this morning as smoke from a bushfire south of Northcliffe continued to drift north-west.

The bushfire was started by lightning last Thursday.

Many local residents complained of stinging eyes, and people with conditions exacerbated by smoke, such as asthma, were advised to stay indoors or wear masks outside.

Collie Police Station officer-in-charge, Senior Sergeant Rod Boehm, said motorists should take care and use their headlights.

The smoke is expected to continue today and overnight as fire crews continue burning out pockets within the fire and consolidating containment lines.

The smoke is being trapped under an inversion that acts as a “blanket”, keeping it relatively closer to the ground, the Fire and Emergency Services Authority said.

This inversion prevents the smoke dispersing until temperatures rise and “punch a hole” in the inversion layer and the surrounding atmosphere becomes more unstable.