VICTORIAN agriculture minister Jaclyn Symes is supportive of moves to have an air monitoring station established in Wodonga on a day thick smoke haze eased.
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The nearest air monitoring station to Wodonga is located in Albury, but had been out of action since Friday with Wangaratta being the next closest centre.
The Environment Protection Authority and Victorian health department would need to tick it off, but Ms Symes said the smoke levels drifting in from the Upper Murray fires were an "unprecedented event".
"Coming up from Benalla, I have never seen anything like this," she said yesterday.
"The visibility is so poor, the smoke is so thick and on that it would be incumbent on me to relay those messages coming out from our health professionals who are urging people to remain indoors as much as possible.
"Being able to access shopping centres and cinemas are good options, but being outdoors is not something that is advisable."
Member for Benambra Bill Tilley said Wodonga should have a station.
"My community has been devastated by these fires which are set to continue this week," he said.
"The air is thick with smoke and has been for days."
Meanwhile, Agriculture Victoria has visited 290 properties since the fire crisis intensified a week ago.
In its initial count there are 1150 confirmed livestock losses in the Upper Murray across dairy, beef and sheep industries.
"These fires have been devastating for communities across Victoria and have caused extreme damage to Victorian farms, including significant livestock loss," Ms Symes said.
