Newcastle air quality and smoke forecast

Current government PM2.5 readings within 50 km of Newcastle, with separate NASA GEOS-CF, CAMS and SILAM total-PM2.5 forecasts sampled at the locality centre.

Updated 27 Aug, 10:17 AM AEST · Location forecast · current monitors within 50 km of Newcastle · concentrations, not an Australian AQI

Current air quality and forecast

Now · observedGood4.9 µg/m³ median · 7 current monitors

Next 48 hoursGood to Poor9.3–36.8 µg/m³ · 3 of 3 models

Forecast peak36.8 µg/m³28 Aug, 7:00 AM AEST · CAMS

Nearby fires

150 km radius

No agency fire incidents are currently reported within 150 km of this location. There are also 3 planned or registered burns.

View 3 planned or registered burns nearby

Forestry Plantation HR - Watagan 18 SF45 km away · Under control · Hazard ReductionNSW Rural Fire Service

Agency report details

ALERT LEVEL: Planned Burn
LOCATION: WATAGAN STATE FOREST WOLLOMBI FOREST RD, OLNEY 2325
COUNCIL AREA: Cessnock
STATUS: Under control
TYPE: Hazard Reduction
FIRE: Yes
SIZE: 6 ha
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: Forestry Corporation of NSW
UPDATED: 27 Aug 2026 09:54

Official source

Forestry Plantation HR - OLNEY SF 077-07851 km away · Under control · Hazard ReductionNSW Rural Fire Service

Agency report details

ALERT LEVEL: Planned Burn
LOCATION: BEAVENS RIDGE FOREST RD, RAVENSDALE 2259
COUNCIL AREA: Central Coast
STATUS: Under control
TYPE: Hazard Reduction
FIRE: Yes
SIZE: 86 ha
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: Forestry Corporation of NSW
UPDATED: 27 Aug 2026 09:55

Official source

Forestry HR - Chichester SF Plantation82 km away · Under control · Hazard ReductionNSW Rural Fire Service

Agency report details

ALERT LEVEL: Planned Burn
LOCATION: CHICHESTER STATE FOREST BUSH MILL RD, UPPER KARUAH RIVER 2415
COUNCIL AREA: Mid-Coast
STATUS: Under control
TYPE: Hazard Reduction
FIRE: Yes
SIZE: 125 ha
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: Forestry Corporation of NSW
UPDATED: 27 Aug 2026 09:45

Official source

Straight-line distance from the Newcastle centre to the reported incident location, or to the mapped fire boundary where an agency has published one. A fire without a published boundary may extend closer than its reported location suggests.

Last 24 hours and next 48 hours across Newcastle

Range across monitors

About this chart

The observed line is the hourly median across reporting monitors and the shaded range shows local variation. NASA GEOS-CF, CAMS and SILAM are separate total surface PM2.5 research forecasts sampled near the Newcastle locality centre. They are not smoke-only, official health forecasts or blended with observations.

Forecast

Next 6 hoursGood2.1–11.8 µg/m³ · 3 of 3 models

Next 12 hoursFair2.2–17.3 µg/m³ · 3 of 3 models

Next 24 hoursPoor4.2–36.8 µg/m³ · 3 of 3 models

Next 48 hoursPoor9.3–36.8 µg/m³ · 3 of 3 models

Model detail3 available · 48-hour peak table

Model	48-hour peak	Category	Peak around
NASA GEOS-CF	14.2 µg/m³	Fair	29 Aug, 2:30 AM AEST
CAMS	36.8 µg/m³	Poor	28 Aug, 7:00 AM AEST
FMI SILAM	9.3 µg/m³	Good	28 Aug, 2:00 PM AEST

Highest readings right now

current hourly PM2.5

All government monitors (7 total; 7 current)

Monitor	PM2.5 µg/m³	Air quality	Observed local
Mayfield	8.3	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Stockton	7.6	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Beresfield	7.6	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Morisset	4.9	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Wallsend	4.4	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Newcastle	4.3	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST
Carrington	1.9	Good	27 Aug, 9:00 AM AEST