Summer sport in bushfire affected communities was the first thing to suffer as the crisis situation escalated, but now the smoke and dust is starting to impact on some of the big National events.
Big Bash League officials say they will assess air quality in Canberra on Saturday before making a call regarding whether to proceed with the evening game.
The smokey conditions will be discussed in the pre-match medical briefing at Manuka Oval, where the game between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers is due to start at 6.10pm (AEDT).
If visibility is too poor and/or Air Quality Index (AQI) data is too alarming, then play will not go ahead.
“The safety of players, fans and staff remains our number one priority. In accordance with relevant guidelines, air quality will be regularly assessed throughout the day,” the Sydney Thunder said in a statement.
In the event that visibility and/or air quality is deemed unsuitable for play, decisions regarding the match will be made in accordance with BBL playing conditions.
“Our thoughts and best wishes are with the people and communities affected by the current bushfire emergency.”
The fourth day of a recent Sheffield Shield match between NSW and Queensland was played at a smoke-blanketed SCG, with Steve O’Keefe describing the conditions as “toxic” and “shocking”.
“The one thing they (Cricket Australia) need to look at is the air-quality policy … I’m sure they’ll address it,” O’Keefe said at the time.
While school children were kept indoors in Sydney towards the end of the school year, there’s not much respite now the kids are home, with some affected communities abandoning or postponing local sporting matches.
Still, Melbourne-based photographer John Donegan has issued a timely reminder of how sport also ties communities together, through good times and bad.
His photo of Winmalee volunteer firefighters during the 2013 Blue Mountain fires playing cricket after the front had gone through is being sold to help raise money for the NSWRFS.
Tweet from @John__Donegan
With preparations for the Sydney to Hobart yacht race also underway, skippers of the Supermaxis have indicated that the weather conditions will need to be factored in, with dust from the fires getting into winches and requiring more regular maintenance.
Scallywag’s skipper David Witt told the Sydney Morning Herald that sea breezes are being altered by the smoke haze.
The super yacht was forced to pull out of last year’s race with a broken bowsprit.
Super yacht Scallywag is out of the Sydney to Hobart with a broken bowsprit (a spar projecting forward from the stem of a ship, often used to support rigging) Fleet down to 83. pic.twitter.com/BAgxn9xyT6
— TAB (@tabcomau) December 26, 2018
“Part of the problem is this time of year, you normally get sea breezes, which is built from thermal from the west,” Witt told the paper.
“All this smoke haze is holding out the sea breeze a lot. You’ve seen over the last few weeks, the sea breeze is forecast to be a normal sea breeze, and we are not even getting half the strength.”
-with AAP
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