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The clouds of smoke generated by the fires suffocate Australian cities. GLEN MORE via REUTERS

Air quality remains very poor in Sydney and the capital, Canberra, has the highest air pollution rate in the world.

With our correspondent in Sydney, Grégory Plesse

The people of Sydney are usually very athletic. But these days, they seem to have put an end to their morning jogging which would however have been welcome to evacuate the excesses of Christmas Eve.

In question, the smoke stagnating in the air of the largest city in Australia. Depending on the neighborhood, the air quality fluctuates between very poor and dangerous for the southwest suburbs of the city, those that are closest to the fires.

Canberra, the most polluted city in the world

But this is nothing in comparison with the capital Canberra where the content of fine particles in the air is currently 30 times higher than the danger threshold.

The authorities advise the 390,000 residents of the city to stay indoors and to avoid any form of physical activity as much as possible.

The Australian capital that the World Health Organization (WHO) ranked third in 2017 for its air quality has been the city with the highest air pollution in the world for two days, even passing the city of New Delhi in India which usually holds this sad record.

Looks like Canberra just hit the top of the list of global cities with the world's worst air quality, beating Delhi.

Nothing to see here. Literally☹️ pic.twitter.com/JbOt1YRPxF

Craig Emerson (@DrCraigEmerson) December 31, 2019

The only ones delighted by this situation are the stores that sell emission masks. Almost all of them are out of stock.

A new extreme heat peak is forecast for Saturday, and is expected to be coupled with sustained wind gusts. Thousands of tourists are strongly encouraged to leave certain areas of the southeast: the firefighters of New South Wales asked Thursday morning tourists to leave the area in a coastal area of ​​200 kilometers long, from the picturesque city of Batemans Bay (about 300 km south of Sydney) to the south and the state of Victoria.

The fire men of the states concerned admit that they are greatly overwhelmed by the number and violence of the fires, which are out of control. " There are so many fires in this area that we are unable to contain them, " Rob Rogers, assistant manager of the New South Wales State Fire Department, told ABC. " We just need to make sure there is no one left on their way ." "

►Also read: Smoke from Australian fires visible up to New Zealand