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In an emergency 

Call 000 if you're in immediate danger.

Call 000 if anyone is experiencing wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing.

Emergency updates and contacts

For help with English, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on free call 131 450.

VicEmergency 

VicEmergency informs Victorians of emergencies in real time. It also has information to help you:

  • prepare and get ready
  • recover, including returning home and cleaning up after an emergency.

Get updates from the VicEmergency:

For those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment, call VicEmergency Hotline via the National Relay Service on 1800 555 677.

EPA

Follow EPA Victoria on Twitter for our updates.

Air quality information is available at EPA AirWatch.

Health advice

For health concerns, including any symptoms caused by smoke:

Fire emergency information

If there is a fire in your area, safety is your priority. Listen to advice from these emergency services:

Know how to protect your health in a fire incident:

EPA’s role in an emergency

We're a technical support agency. When there is a major pollution event, we:

  • provide technical and scientific information and advice to emergency and recovery services
  • provide sampling and monitoring during emergency events
  • deploy incident air monitoring equipment at emergency services’ request
  • report and give advice on the environmental impacts and health risks associated with pollution and waste (such as smoke, and poor water quality).

Air monitoring

EPA AirWatch is a map showing air quality information. Air quality is measured at monitoring stations around Victoria and is updated hourly. Find out how to use EPA AirWatch.

How smoke affects you depends on:

  • your age
  • pre-existing medical conditions, for example asthma, heart disease
  • the length of time you are exposed to smoke.

People more sensitive to the effects of breathing in smoke are:

  • those with heart or lung conditions (including asthma)
  • children
  • pregnant women
  • people over 65.

Organisations responsible for public health

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), local councils and EPA have roles in protecting human health.

Find out about the roles of these organisations protecting and promoting public health and wellbeing. 

Factsheets

Includes languages other than English:

English-language factsheets:

For help with English, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on free call 131 450.

Read more

Smoke and your health

About smoke

Reviewed 19 August 2022