Smokey highway

I had plans for a caravan holiday but the many bush fires made a leisurely outback caravan holiday inadvisable. Instead we travelled the coastal highway to the big smoke.

I drive a newish (2018) Mazda CX-5 Diesel. I am still learning about its features.
It is a great leap forward from my previous car a 2005 Ford Falcon (LPG). Very impressive on the highway was the control to set a maximum speed limit and a set a distance to any car ahead. Occasionally it looked like a string of cars had this feature with a line of cars going near maximum speed but maintaining good distance inbetween.

The sky was all smoke haze for the whole trip. I monitored the local ABC AM radio to ensure the way ahead was clear. AM radio is fantastic for emergency broadcasts - it is resilient long distance communications infrastructure. It is longer distance than DAB+ or FM and less prone to failure than mobile telephones or internet.

The big smoke was indeed smokey with public health authorities advising all to stay indoors. Radio personalities were mocking those who were seen to be doing exercise outdoors. The days I travelled were not the most intense fire days and still there was a hazy white sky with the sun a fuzzy glow.

Only parts of the bush are burning now. There is lots more that could burn next fire season. Is it possible that extended intense fire seasons will make the areas east of the bush fire zones undesirable or uninhabitable because of the prevailing winds?