Yes it’s safe.

Must have been a terrifying sight for Maori/early settlers to see the sun turn orange like this. (I presume this has happened previously in history).

We have smelt the Australian fires in Auckland a bit, could it be that again?

BlinkyBill:

 

Yes it’s safe.

 

I'm not sure I'd be so positive: I think I'd say it's not unsafe

;-)

howsitgoing:

We have smelt the Australian fires in Auckland a bit, could it be that again?

 

Doubt Auckland will see any significant smoke - certainly nothing like the South Island at present.

Metservice posted an image on twitter not long ago https://twitter.com/MetService/status/1212156134083063808

you notice it in Rotorua , the sky is not as blue as it should be on a cloudless day, 

https://aqicn.org/here/#!cp!-43.5249!172.6562!438289

Currently Chch PM2.5 AQI in mid-30s - I think usually in single digits, so it's 'good' but not as good as usual.

Stu: Auckland hasn't seen the Aussie smoke in some time, but it was there a few days/weeks ago.

The Aussie smoke has been around Auckland and the upper North Island (and other parts of New Zealand) in varying degrees for several weeks. The smoke haze was so bad that on a flight south around midday yesterday from Auckland it was impossible to see Mt Egmont and the Central Plateau mountains, though it did clear up some what later in the day.

At home (Hamilton) it was pretty noticeable yesterday especially the sky colour at sunset. Still not as bad as being reported down Wanaka way. Though give it a day or two and the right atmospheric conditions with a good strong inversion and we may well see something similar up this way.

sbiddle:

 

Doubt Auckland will see any significant smoke - certainly nothing like the South Island at present.

 

Metservice posted an image on twitter not long ago https://twitter.com/MetService/status/1212156134083063808

 

That loop shows the smoke edging slowly north eastwards. I think we will see some of what they're getting down south but probably not as thick as they've had today.

Noticeable in Welly, sky is a strange colour and I can smell the smoke on occasion too.