The smoke is also affecting air quality in Gippsland, North East, Alpine and Geelong regions, and is expected to fall to "hazardous" levels in the Latrobe Valley. Melbourne's air quality will continue to be so poor over the weekend, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a warning for asthma sufferers. It contains links to our previous site while we add information.Air pollution reduces the quality of the air. Air quality across most of Melbourne's suburbs was rated as "hazardous" this morning Victoria's chief health officer said he believed the city's air quality dropped to "the worst in the world" overnight Firefighters have been called out to nearly 200 false fire alarms overnight, largely due to the smoke For example, smoke from bushfires and wind-blown dust impact Victoria’s air quality.EPA monitors air quality in line with national and world standards. National air quality standards . "At Southbank, cyclist Luke Johnson told the ABC he had ridden into the CBD from Blackburn and only in the last kilometre had felt the smoke in his chest.Australia's bushfire crisis is affecting air quality for lots of us. Air quality readings are updated hourly and a daily air quality forecast is made for the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Region at 4pm each day. "It's just sad, with what's going on with the bushfires … if this is what it's like here, I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for them in the thick of it," she said.ABC Radio Melbourne caller Trevor said he only had about 100 metres of visibility in some areas as he drove into Melbourne from the Mornington Peninsula this morning.He said traffic had slowed down to about 40 kilometres per hour as he got closer to the city.Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone, who lives in Melbourne, said people who did not need to be outside should stay indoors. "We have gone to great lengths, calling on all sources of supply to meet this unprecedented demand. Cold temperatures and still conditions over the past 24 hours led to an increase in tiny air pollution particles, especially in the inner city, northern suburbs and inner west. Updates. Poor air quality affects human health and the environment. So we asked the experts about some of the things we can do to keep our homes smoke-free.Gayle Cowling, who was walking to work, said she was struggling with the air, which smelled and tasted of smoke. "You should keep your windows closed and switch your air-flow set to re-circulation to reduce the smell of smoke inside your car," VicTraffic said in a Facebook post.Hardware chain Bunnings said supplies of P2 face masks were running low across the state and some stores had run out as Victorians sought to protect themselves from the smoke.Wholesaler Metcash, which supplies Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware, Thrifty Link and True Value Hardware stores said demand for P2 face marks was "unprecedented". The air quality in some Melbourne suburbs, including Dandenong and Brighton, has already been measured at "very poor" by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Air quality in the home . Type a minimum of three characters then press UP or DOWN on the keyboard to navigate the autocompleted search results. The GAIA air quality monitoring stations are using high-tech laser particle sensors to measure in real-time PM2.5 pollution, which is one of the most harmful air pollutants. Clean air for Victoria – meeting the challenges of a growing population. Alternatively, type a search term and press the Search button.Learn how poor air quality impacts human health, how EPA measures air quality and how you can help.EPA’s new website is under construction. "When conditions are good … that's the time to open doors and windows to air your house, to get the smoke out and then when the air quality's poor, close doors and windows, stay inside, minimise your activity," he said.The EPA's air quality controller, Jason Choi, said the smoke would likely stay around Melbourne into Wednesday, when afternoon showers could see it clear.Authorities have advised people with asthma, who are pregnant, over the age of 65 or under the age of 14 to try to limit their time spent in the smoke where possible. Air pollutants such as small particles (Weather conditions, and events like fires can affect air pollution levels. Victorian Government’s Air Quality Strategy, set for release in 2019. New South Wales is now reporting hourly averages for PM10 and PM2.5. These include the Poor indoor air quality can also harm your health. It's actually low cloud and haze — and it led Victoria's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to issue a warning about poor air quality across parts of Melbourne. Get professional air quality testing and monitoring services in Melbourne. And analysis by Melbourne University and RMIT found a single medium plant improve a room’s air quality by 25 per cent. Read next. 2013 Senate Committee inquiry into air quality. Smoke from hazard reduction burning and domestic wood heating will occasionally cause elevated particle levels over the cooler months. Very easy to set up, they only require a WIFI access point and a USB power supply. "We currently have product available but it is selling very fast across all our network of independent stores," Metcash said in a statement. Air pollution: A summary of the state of knowledge We offer air quality testing for homes, commercial and industrial areas. Once connected, air pollution levels are reported instantaneously and in real-time on our maps You can improve indoor air quality by not smoking inside, using extractor fans when cooking, and To help improve air quality, EPA made submissions to the:EPA Victoria acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.Please enable JavaScript in order to get the best experience when using this site. "You can feel it and you can see it and you can taste it in the air," he said.Dr Bartone said the smallest pollution particles of less than 2.5 microns in size posed the greatest health risk, as they were able to bypass the body's defence mechanisms and settle deep in the lungs.United States space agency NASA has predicted that the Firefighters in Victoria have been using milder conditions to their advantage this week as they work to contain massive bushfires across the Alpine region, East Gippsland and the north-east which have burnt 1.4 million hectares of land.Smoke remains heavy over that region, as the second escorted convoy of people left the cut-off town of Mallacoota for New South Wales.At a press conference this morning, Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the Inspector-General for Emergency Management, Tony Pearce, would be given $2.55 million to hold an inquiry into the state's bushfire season.The inquiry will consider the effectiveness of the state's response, the declaration of a state of disaster, the support from the Commonwealth Government, evacuation processes and the preparedness of the state going into the season.Stay safe and informed with ABC's checklists & survival kits.This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.How to reduce smoke in your home when air pollution risesSpace to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.The smoke haze blanketing Victoria will likely stick around for daysBushfire smoke plume expected to lap the globe, NASA says'I just couldn't breathe anymore': Aus Open player quits qualifier after coughing fitCoronavirus patients discovering unexpected side effectsTeenagers detained at Queensland shopping centre for alleged coronavirus breachesLive: 'Agonising': Australia records deadliest day despite 'heartening' new case figuresVictoria launches confronting COVID-19 ads as state records 322 cases, 19 deathsKey points from the Victorian Premier's latest COVID-19 press conferenceNewlywed couple comes to the rescue to help stranded toddler homeAnalysis: With the arrest of a billionaire tycoon, China wants Hong Kong to know no-one is safeSydney private school cluster grows as NSW 'halfway through a critical phase''Dark, depressing and cold': Cancer patient tells of harrowing experience at 'death hospital'WWII hero Teddy Sheean to posthumously receive Victoria Cross, after almost 80-year struggleAnalysis: There's a reason why New Zealand has stamped out coronavirusMore Victorian healthcare workers contract COVID-19 as Premier orders extra N95 masksDNA tracing sites are revealing dark secrets — and men like Mark don't see them comingWhistleblower nurse alleges hotel quarantine guests were allowed to 'play up' in relaxed systemSeventeen years in jail for former NRL player who plotted to supply 900kg of cocaineCoronavirus patients discovering unexpected side effectsTeenagers detained at Queensland shopping centre for alleged coronavirus breachesLive: 'Agonising': Australia records deadliest day despite 'heartening' new case figuresKey points from the Victorian Premier's latest COVID-19 press conferenceThere's a reason why New Zealand has stamped out coronavirusWWII hero Teddy Sheean to posthumously receive Victoria Cross, after almost 80-year struggleCoronavirus patients discovering unexpected side effectsTeenagers detained at Queensland shopping centre for alleged coronavirus breachesLive: 'Agonising': Australia records deadliest day despite 'heartening' new case figuresVictoria launches confronting COVID-19 ads as state records 322 cases, 19 deathsKey points from the Victorian Premier's latest COVID-19 press conferenceNewlywed couple comes to the rescue to help stranded toddler homeAnalysis: With the arrest of a billionaire tycoon, China wants Hong Kong to know no-one is safeSydney private school cluster grows as NSW 'halfway through a critical phase''Dark, depressing and cold': Cancer patient tells of harrowing experience at 'death hospital''There would have been community transmission': NT Chief accused of 'scaremongering' ahead of electionHusband accused of 1973 murder killed wife with metal bar, SA court hearsIT glitch leads to week-long waits for SA coronavirus test resultsMen who entered remote community after being in coronavirus hotspot given suspended sentence'Dark, depressing and cold': Cancer patient tells of harrowing experience at 'death hospital'