Sydney blanketed in haze from bushfires

PETER PARKS / AFP

Sydney's air quality plummeted on Tuesday as a thick blanket of bushfire smoke clogged the city.

The haze has left the city as the 14th worst in the world on the World Air Quality Index.

A warning for severe fire danger has been issued, as temperatures soared to 37 degrees Celsius in the city's west.

Residents have also been advised to stay indoors, with the New South Wales Ambulance service emphasising that those with respiratory issues should "take extra care".

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