If your business has caused pollution, report a pollution incident.
What you can report
We monitor air quality around Victoria. This helps us to assess potential health impacts of smoke.
You can report smoke from commercial and industrial sources to us. This includes:
- coal mine and peat fire smoke
- landfill fire smoke
- tyre fire smoke.
Smoke from wood heaters
You can report smoke from wood heaters and fireplaces to your local council(opens in a new window). Wood heater owners have a responsibility to reduce smoke emissions.
If you have concerns about smoke from a neighbour’s wood heater, try to talk to them. They may not be aware there's a problem. Your council can also give you advice and information on wood smoke pollution in your neighbourhood.
Bushfires and planned burn smoke
Smoke from bushfires and planned burns can cause poor air quality across large parts of Victoria.
- For information about planned burns and smoke, visit Forest Fire Management Victoria(opens in a new window).
- For emergency information and warnings, visit VicEmergency(opens in a new window).
To report a bushfire, call emergency services on triple zero (000).
First responders to emergencies are Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria and the Country Fire Authority.
We are a technical support agency. Learn more about our role in an emergency.
How to report smoke to us
Report commercial and industrial smoke to us online, or call our 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.
What to include in your report
The more information you can give us, the quicker we can respond. When making your report, tell us:
- where you think the smoke is coming from
- when the smoke started
- where you can smell the smoke from – for example, home or work
- how the smoke is affecting you
- how often the smoke occurs.
You can report anonymously, but if you do we cannot send you updates about your report. We also cannot contact you if we need more information.
What happens next
After you have made a report, we send you a confirmation email with a reference number.
We review your report to assess the risk to human health and the environment. We review new reports 7 days a week.
If we confirm it's a high-risk incident with significant impact on the community or environment – for example, a tyre fire or a major chemical spill – we take action quickly. Due to the volume of reports we receive, low-risk reports can take longer to action.
We update you on the progress of your report and what action we plan to take.
Impact of smoke
Smoke is a mixture of airborne particles, water vapour and other gases. Breathing in smoke can be harmful to your health.
Smoke from bushfires and from landfill, peat, tyre and coal fires can impact the quality of our air.
Learn more about smoke, its impact on our community and environment, and how you can protect yourself.
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