How's about the smoke! It's been the word (and the substance) on everyone's lips today in the Valley as the community chokes through the thick plumes enveloping us.
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Today's smokiness has probably been the worst it's been since this fire first started.
But the good news is that it's a result of our firies' pre-emptive assault on the Kian Rd fire.
Firefighters have been working hard to contain the fire before the wind picks up again, which was predicted to happen this afternoon.
Yesterday morning we ran into Gumma RFS Brigade Captain Trevor Stride and his crew who were just returning from pulling an all-nighter shoring up containment lines.
They are just one of many local RFS, Fire and Rescue, National Parks and Wildlife crews and 150 interstate firefighters who have been doing the same since Wednesday.
The eastern-most border of the backburn is in the Warrell Creek area at the Ingalba State Forest (intersection of Upper Warrell Creek Rd and the Pacific Highway) and the Allgomera Creek.
The line continues along Allgomera Rd to Wittigs Rd, just west of Tamban, and then continues south towards Roses Rd at Mungay Creek.
There are also currently property protection backburns going in at Taylors Arm, Tamban, Eungai, Allgomera and Collombatti.
Unless crews can get a significant fire edge contained, the alert level will remain at Watch and Act throughout the weekend.
At this point the main areas of concern for the Kian Rd fire are in the Kempsey Shire, but there's no reason to get complacent yet, as Fire Control Centre's David Nicholson said, "it's a moving beast".
Wind prediction
A north/northeasterly is putting pressure on the Thumb Creek, Burrapine and Taylors Arm Rd areas.
But the prediction is that the 30kph westerly on the western side of the fire front will collide with the northeasterly from the east over the top of the fire front at Burrapine.
"When the two winds meet they are expected to cancel each other out and die down," David Nicholson said.
Breathing problems
Preliminary analysis of emergency department data shows that hospitals in the Mid North Coast, where fires were at their worst, have had 68 presentations to emergency departments for asthma or breathing problems over the last week, almost double the usual number.
"Smoke from the bushfires that have ravaged so much of NSW have led to a rise in people seeking help at public hospitals," NSW Health Director of Environmental Health Dr Richard Broome said.
"Air quality has been very poor, so this increase isn't unexpected. The good news is while the ED presentations have increased, the number of people requiring admission to hospital has remained about the same.
"The increase in presentations is across all ages and it serves to reinforce the message that people with asthma and other respiratory problems should take care on smoky days. It shows that smoke from active and smouldering fires can have a real impact on people's health.
Dr Broome said the smoke might cause no more that eye or throat irritation for most people, but that those with known respiratory conditions, like asthma, need to be cautious when smoke is about.
"People with breathing conditions should avoid outdoor physical activity when there's smoke around and people with asthma should also follow their Asthma Action Plan and carry their relieving medication with," he said. "If you're prescribed a preventer puffer, it's really important to be taking it at the moment."
"The best way to reduce exposure to smoke is to stay indoors with the doors and windows shut. Air conditioning can also help to filter particles from indoor air," Dr Broome said.
Dr Broome said despite the increase in ED presentations, NSW hospitals are well prepared to deal with emergency situations such as the bushfires, and there was still a long way to go this summer.
"These bushfires have been devastating, but they will not be the last fires in NSW over the coming months. Staying cautions in smoky conditions will continue to be the best way to stay safe."
In case of emergency always remember to dial Triple Zero. Up-to-date information on air quality is available online at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/bushfire-smoke.aspx
