Smoke and dust from Australian wildfires turns New Zealand skies red

Sunday, 10 November 2019

Dust and smoke from Australia's New South Wales wildfires is hitting New Zealand skies - and there could be more on the way.

While conditions are expected to ease slightly on Sunday in Australia to help firefighters tackle the blazes, there are still many fires burning.

The smoke has been across the Tasman causing red and orange in the South Island

**READ MORE:

* Smoke from Australia's wildfires sweeps across the Tasman, causing hazy NZ skies

* Smoke from Australian bush fires reaches New Zealand

* Australian dust cloud to give dusty red sunrises and sunsets in New Zealand

* Enormous dust cloud heading to NZ after blanketing parts of Australia**

'There are currently 81 fires burning in NSW and the smoke has reached New Zealand. Feels like I've ended up in a Mad Max scene with stormy skies to the east!' Dale Wowk tweeted, posting a video of the skies.

He had sent the footage from Cromwell, about an hour east of Queenstown.

Meanwhile Niwa is warning the dust may also cross into the North Island overnight on Sunday.

'The dust & smoke from the #NSWfires is quite prominent on satellite imagery as gets transported across the Tasman Sea onto New Zealand's South Island,' it cautioned.

'Some of the dust may cross the North Island on Sunday night.'