Vic: Victoria on stand by for more King Island smoke

AAP General News (Australia)
01-16-2001
Vic: Victoria on stand by for more King Island smoke

Fire authorities warn peat fires burning on King Island may cause smoke problems for
Victoria for several days -- unless the island has a downpour.

About 1,500 hectares of peat, a slow-burning fuel, are on fire on the Bass Strait island.

Peat burning causes heavy smoke but can only be put out through saturation.

The fires caused Melbourne to fill with smoke again last night, and the Victorian Country
Fire Authority issued a warning to avoid callers flooding its 000 emergency …