Weeks of bushfires across NSW has created a toxic cocktail of pollution and emissions in the air that presents a health risk to the state’s exposed population, a GP has warned.

The smoke includes chemicals and matter from burning houses and factories, which has mingled with usual pollutants from coal-fired power station and vehicle emissions, leading to “terrible” air quality, says Dr Kim Loo, from Sydney’s southwest.

The bushfires have pushed fine particulate matter levels 20-50 times higher than normal, she says.

For example, NSW Air Quality Index data shows the reading for particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (known as PM2.5) was 23 units (or 23 micrograms per cubic metre of air) in Oakdale in Sydney’s south west on 2 July.