Hazelwood open-cut coal mine fire

The Hazelwood mine fire was one of the largest incidents for air quality effects in Victoria's history. Communities throughout the Latrobe Valley were affected by smoke, especially the township of Morwell which was just a few hundred meters from the blazing coal faces. The Environment Protection Authority Victoria mounted a large scale response that involved monitoring and assessment of the effects of smoke from the fire, over a period of 45 days in February and March 2014. Concentrations of contaminants in the smoke, especially PM2.5, were very high, reaching 32 times the Reporting Standard. Elevated levels of carbon monoxide also severely impacted the local community. Along with the Victorian Department of Health, and in collaboration with the fire agencies and emergency response agencies, the EPA engaged in a large scale program of public information, forecasts and warnings of smoke effects. A recovery program is currently underway that will run until mid-2015 with continued monitoring, further community communications and a Citizen Science program.