FAQs

Poor air quality can impact our community’s health and wellbeing, with issues ranging from respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues to even premature death. It can also have impacts on the environment by affecting ecosystems and visibility.

Home heating is one area where people can make the biggest difference to improving our air quality.

Not only does burning wet wood create a large amount of smoke, it gives off much less warmth than dry wood. Ensuring the wood you burn is stored in a dry place and is dry at the time of burning is one key step people can take to help reduce smoke.

Environment Southland operates a Good Wood approved suppliers’ scheme, in which firewood retailers voluntarily agree to supply wood at the recommended moisture level of less than 25%.

To test the wood you’ve already got at home, use a moisture meter, available from most hardware stores.

An airshed is a legally designated air quality management area. They are geographically defined areas, like Invercargill and Gore, where the physical features and weather patterns limit pollutants from dispersing. 

In New Zealand, regional councils and unitary authorities have identified areas to be managed as airsheds for the purposes of the national environmental standards for air quality.

Invercargill and Gore are the two airsheds in the Southland region.

Check out Breathe Easy Southland for more information on keeping warm this winter.